Enhanced exchange anisotropy in IrMn/CoFeB systems and its correlation with uncompensated interfacial spins

Yuqing Du*, Genhua Pan, Roy Moate, Hendrik Ohldag, Andras Kovacs, Amit Kohn

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Bottom pinned exchange bias systems of IrMn/CoFe and IrMn/CoFeB on CoFe seed layers were studied. Enhanced exchange anisotropy has been observed for IrMn/CoFeB samples annealed at 350 °C. The ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic layers of both samples are polycrystalline and textured {110} for the CoFe and CoFeB, and {111} for IrMn. Results demonstrated that the enhanced exchange anisotropy in the IrMn/CoFeB system is closely associated with the increased uncompensated interfacial spins as evidenced by the enhanced Mn x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) signal strength. A quantitative correlation between the Mn XMCD signal and the exchange anisotropy constant Jk was observed.

Original languageEnglish
Article number222503
JournalApplied Physics Letters
Volume96
Issue number22
DOIs
StatePublished - 31 May 2010
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research CouncilEP/F016174/1

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