Direct observation of frozen moments in the NiFe/FeMn exchange bias system

作者:Mohanty J*; Persson A; Arvanitis D; Temst K; Van Haesendonck C
来源:New Journal of Physics, 2013, 15(3): 033016.
DOI:10.1088/1367-2630/15/3/033016

摘要

We detect the presence of frozen magnetic moments in an exchange biased NiFe ferromagnet at the NiFe/FeMn ferromagnet/antiferromagnet interface by magnetic circular dichroism in x-ray absorption and resonant reflectivity experiments. Frozen moments are detected by means of the element-specific hysteresis loops. A weak dichroic absorption with unidirectional anisotropy can be linked to frozen magnetic moments in the ferromagnet. A more pronounced exchange bias for increasing the thickness of the FeMn layer correlates with an increase in orbital moment for interface Ni atoms carrying a frozen moment. These atoms compose about a single monolayer, but only a fraction of the atoms contributes by means of a strongly enhanced orbital moment to the macroscopic exchange bias phenomenon. The microscopic spin-orbit energy associated with these few interface frozen moment atoms appears to be sufficient to account for the macroscopic exchange bias energy.

  • 出版日期2013-3-12