Compositional dependence of antiferromagnetic anisotropy in IrMn/CoFe exchange bias systems

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3549568· OSTI ID:21560140

Aley, N P; O'Grady, K ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of York, York, YO10 5DD (United Kingdom)

We report on a study of the effect of Ir content on the loop shift (H{sub EX}) and anisotropy constant (K{sub AF}) in the CoFe/IrMn system. The sample structure investigated was Si/NiCr(5 nm)/Ru(5 nm)/Ir{sub x}Mn{sub 1-x}/CoFe(2 nm)/Ta(3 nm). All samples were produced by sputtering and the Ir and Mn levels were varied using a specially made composite target and deposited at {approx}120 deg. C. The composition of the samples was analyzed using energy dispersive x-ray analysis. K{sub AF} was calculated from thermal activation measurements using the York Protocols. A plateau in H{sub EX} was found for Ir levels between 16- 20.5 at. %. H{sub EX} was found to decrease by 50% on either side of this window. This result is consistent with previous studies where the enhancement of H{sub EX} was attributed to an increase in the atomic ordering of the IrMn alloy. However, K{sub AF} decreases linearly with increasing Ir concentration and does not appear to correlate with the change in H{sub EX}.

• OSTI ID: 21560140
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 109, Issue 7; Conference: 55. annual conference on magnetism and magnetic materials, Atlanta, GA (United States), 14-18 Nov 2010; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3549568; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANISOTROPY
ANTIFERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
COBALT ALLOYS
DEPOSITION
IRIDIUM ALLOYS
IRON ALLOYS
LAYERS
MANGANESE ALLOYS
NICKEL ALLOYS
RUTHENIUM ALLOYS
SILICON ALLOYS
SPUTTERING
TANTALUM ALLOYS
X RADIATION
ALLOYS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MAGNETIC MATERIALS
MAGNETISM
MATERIALS
PLATINUM METAL ALLOYS
RADIATIONS
TRANSITION ELEMENT ALLOYS