Abstract
The thermal stability of top and bottom IrMn exchange-biased spin-valve films prepared by ion beam deposition (IBD) and magnetron sputtering physical vapor deposition (PVD) is compared. These films exhibit identical temperature dependence for the exchange bias field Hex, with a blocking temperature of TB=250 °C, that is independent of preparation technique. Isothermal annealing at temperatures below TB led to a ln(t) dependent degradation in Hex, suggesting a thermal activation process. The high crystallographic quality of the IBD films leads to a superior stability compared to PVD films. Top spin-valve films are also found to be more stable than bottom spin-valve films.
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