Direct observation of exchange bias related uncompensated spins at the CoO/Cu interface.
Magnetization-induced optical second harmonic generation (MSHG) from the exchange-biased CoO/Cu-(X)/Fe multilayer shows the presence of pinned uncompensated spins at the CoO/Cu interface. For increasing Cu spacer thickness, the exchange bias measured via the hysteresis loop shift diminishes and disappears at X = 3.5 nm, while the MSHG signal still shows a strong magnetic contribution from the CoO interface. This indicates that the magnetic interaction between Fe and CoO layers is sufficiently strong to induce order in the antiferromagnetic layer even at a spacer thickness for which there is no observable hysteresis loop shift.
Valev
V K
VK
Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, 6525ED, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. V.Valev@science.ru.nl
Gruyters
M
M
Kirilyuk
A
A
Rasing
Th
T