Exchange bias properties of [Co/CoO]{sub n} multilayers

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4764107· OSTI ID:22089569

Oeztuerk, M.; Demirci, E.; Erkovan, M.; Oeztuerk, O.; Akdogan, N. ^[1]

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1. Gebze Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, 41400 Kocaeli (Turkey)

In this study, the exchange bias properties of four polycrystalline multilayer stack samples of antiferromagnetic (AF) CoO and ferromagnetic (FM) Co in the form of [CoO/Co]{sub n} with n = 1, 2, 3, and 5 are reported. The samples were grown on top of Si (001) substrates by using magnetron sputtering method. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to determine the structural properties of the samples. XPS measurements of cobalt oxide layer revealed the coexistence of different phases in cobalt oxide as CoO and Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}, the latter of which lowers the blocking temperature. The blocking temperature is also affected by the finite size scaling effects observed in AF layers. In-plane ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements revealed uniaxial in-plane magnetic anisotropy for the samples. Low temperature vibrating sample magnetometer measurements provided exchange bias with a stepwise character. Observed steps are believed to be due to magnetization reversals of individual FM layers with varying thicknesses, each of which is pinned through two interfaces from above and below with two AFM layers, except the uppermost FM Co layer with a single AFM neighbor.

• OSTI ID: 22089569
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 112, Issue 9; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANISOTROPY
ANTIFERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
COBALT
COBALT OXIDES
DEPOSITION
EXCHANGE INTERACTIONS
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
FERROMAGNETIC RESONANCE
LAYERS
MAGNETIZATION
MAGNETRONS
POLYCRYSTALS
SUBSTRATES
THICKNESS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
VIBRATING SAMPLE MAGNETOMETERS
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY