Discrimination between coupling and anisotropy fields in exchange-biased bilayers

Abstract

In the framework of models that assume planar domain wall formed at the antiferromagnetic part of the interface of exchange-biased bilayers, one cannot distinguish between the cases of high or low ratios between the coupling and the antiferromagnet’s anisotropy fields by using hysteresis loop measurement, ferromagnetic resonance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, or ac susceptibility techniques applied on one and the same sample. The analysis of the experimental data obtained on a series of FeMn/Co films indicated that once the biasing is established the variation in the coercivity with the FeMn layer thickness could be essential for solving this problem. If the coercivity decreases with the thickness then the interlayer exchange coupling is the parameter that varies while the domain-wall energy of the antiferromagnet remains practically constant.