2005/04/26 by Justin Olamit, Elke Arenholz, Z. P. Li +10
Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Magnetic Properties and Applications #Magnetic Properties and Synthesis of Ferrites #Magnetic properties of thin films #cond-mat.mtrl-sci
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevb.72.012408
published as Phys. Rev. B 72, 012408 (2005). · 16 pages, 3 figures, to appear in PRB
arxiv created 2005/04/26 · openalex publication_date 2005/07/13 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Exchange-biased Ni∕FeF2 films have been investigated using vector coil vibrating-sample magnetometry as a function of the cooling field strength HFC. In films with epitaxial FeF2, a loop bifurcation develops with increasing HFC as it divides into two sub-loops shifted oppositely from zero field by the same amount. The positively biased sub-loop grows in size with HFC until only a single positively shifted loop is found. Throughout this process, the negative and positive (sub)loop shifts maintain the same discrete value. This is in sharp contrast to films with twinned FeF2 where the exchange field gradually changes with increasing HFC. The transverse magnetization shows clear correlations with the longitudinal subloops. Interestingly, over 85% of the Ni reverses its magnetization by rotation, either in one step or through two successive rotations. These results are due to the single-crystal nature of the antiferromagnetic FeF2, which breaks down into two opposite regions of large domains.