Combination of exchange-bias and long-range interlayer couplings in Fe/fct-Mn/Co trilayers

Abstract

In this study, Fe/Mn/Co trilayers were grown on Cu(100) to investigate the combination of exchange-bias coupling and long-range interlayer coupling. The crystalline structures of fct-Co and fct-Mn were confirmed by low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and I/V-LEED. The magnetic hysteresis loops were measured by magneto-optical Kerr effect as a function of Fe and Mn thickness. When the fct-Mn was increased to 24 ML, the Co and Fe layers underwent incoherent two-step magnetization switching with a special feature. The interlayer coupling preferred coherent rotation of Fe and Co, but the exchange bias coupling of Mn/Co increased the coercivity of the Co layer, prohibiting rotation simultaneous with the Fe layer. As a result, during the Fe flipping, the Co layer first rotated in accordance with the Fe layer and then turned back to the initial orientation. Our simulation also demonstrated a similar phenomenon when the exchange bias coupling and interlayer coupling were of comparable magnitude.

Canted magnetization in Fe thin films on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite

“…8 The HOPG substrate was cleaved in air, immediately inserted into the vacuum chamber, and then degassed at 400 K for 10 h. The HOPG was prepared with either a flat or a sputtered surface. For the sputtered HOPG surface, Ar þ sputtering, with a beam energy of 600 eV, was performed for 180 s. The Fe atoms were evaporated by e-beam heating.…”

Tailoring interlayer coupling and coercivity in Co/Mn/Co trilayers by controlling the interface roughness

“…24)) and previous experimental work. [25][26][27] In order to study the interface dependence of the interlayer interaction, several bilayer and trilayer (Co/) wedged Mn/Co samples were prepared. First, we compare the results for two different coverages of the bottom Co layer, 10.0 ML and 10.5 ML, which exhibit filled and half-filled topmost atomic layers because of the layer-by-layer growth.…”

Oxygen surfactant-assisted growth and dewetting of Co films on O-3 × 3/W(111)

“…The sample preparation and investigation were performed in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber with a base pressure better than 3 Â 10 À10 Torr. 26 A clean single crystalline W(111) surface was prepared by cycles of thermal annealing above 2000 K. 12 The Co films were deposited at RT or low temperature (LT: 200 K) by e-beam heated thermal evaporation with a rate of %0.3 PML/min. AES was used for the monitoring of growth behavior and thermal stability.…”