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Title: Setting temperature effect in polycrystalline exchange-biased IrMn/CoFe bilayers

Abstract

We study the effect of atomic interdiffusion on the exchange bias of polycrystalline IrMn/({sup 57}Fe + CoFe) multilayers due to the thermal setting process of exchange coupling during field annealing. Depth-resolved {sup 57}Fe conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy was used to quantify atomic interdiffusion. Vibrating sample magnetometry was used to monitor the variation of exchange bias and magnetisation. It was found that interface sharpness is only affected above {approx}350 Degree-Sign C. Three different stages for the setting of exchange bias can be inferred from our results. At the lower setting temperatures (up to 350 Degree-Sign C), the effect of field annealing involves alignment of spins and interfacial coupling due to the setting of both antiferromagnetic (AF) bulk and interface without significant interdiffusion. At a second stage (350-450 Degree-Sign C), where AF ordering dominates over diffusion effects, atomic migration and increased setting of AF spins co-exist to produce a peak in exchange bias field and coercivity. On a third stage (>450 Degree-Sign C), severe chemical intermixing reduces significantly the F/AF coupling.

Authors:
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Laboratorio de Fisica Aplicada, Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22102403
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Applied Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 113; Journal Issue: 17; Conference: 55. annual conference on magnetism and magnetic materials, Atlanta, GA (United States), 14-18 Nov 2010; Other Information: (c) 2013 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; ANNEALING; ANTIFERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS; BINARY ALLOY SYSTEMS; COBALT ALLOYS; COERCIVE FORCE; DIFFUSION; EXCHANGE INTERACTIONS; FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS; INTERFACES; IRIDIUM ALLOYS; IRON 57; IRON ALLOYS; LAYERS; MAGNETIZATION; MANGANESE ALLOYS; MOESSBAUER EFFECT; POLYCRYSTALS; SPIN

Citation Formats

Fernandez-Outon, L. E., Araujo Filho, M. S., Araujo, R. E., Ardisson, J. D., and Macedo, W. A. A. Setting temperature effect in polycrystalline exchange-biased IrMn/CoFe bilayers. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4795211.
Fernandez-Outon, L. E., Araujo Filho, M. S., Araujo, R. E., Ardisson, J. D., & Macedo, W. A. A. Setting temperature effect in polycrystalline exchange-biased IrMn/CoFe bilayers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4795211
Fernandez-Outon, L. E., Araujo Filho, M. S., Araujo, R. E., Ardisson, J. D., and Macedo, W. A. A. 2013. "Setting temperature effect in polycrystalline exchange-biased IrMn/CoFe bilayers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4795211.
@article{osti_22102403,
title = {Setting temperature effect in polycrystalline exchange-biased IrMn/CoFe bilayers},
author = {Fernandez-Outon, L. E. and Araujo Filho, M. S. and Araujo, R. E. and Ardisson, J. D. and Macedo, W. A. A.},
abstractNote = {We study the effect of atomic interdiffusion on the exchange bias of polycrystalline IrMn/({sup 57}Fe + CoFe) multilayers due to the thermal setting process of exchange coupling during field annealing. Depth-resolved {sup 57}Fe conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy was used to quantify atomic interdiffusion. Vibrating sample magnetometry was used to monitor the variation of exchange bias and magnetisation. It was found that interface sharpness is only affected above {approx}350 Degree-Sign C. Three different stages for the setting of exchange bias can be inferred from our results. At the lower setting temperatures (up to 350 Degree-Sign C), the effect of field annealing involves alignment of spins and interfacial coupling due to the setting of both antiferromagnetic (AF) bulk and interface without significant interdiffusion. At a second stage (350-450 Degree-Sign C), where AF ordering dominates over diffusion effects, atomic migration and increased setting of AF spins co-exist to produce a peak in exchange bias field and coercivity. On a third stage (>450 Degree-Sign C), severe chemical intermixing reduces significantly the F/AF coupling.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4795211},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22102403}, journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
issn = {0021-8979},
number = 17,
volume = 113,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue May 07 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Tue May 07 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}