title: Crossover from spin-flop coupling to collinear spin alignment in antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic nanostructures.
abstract: The technologically important exchange coupling in antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic bilayers is investigated for embedded nanostructures defined in a LaFeO(3)/La(0.7)Sr(0.3)MnO(3) bilayer. Exploiting the element specificity of soft X-ray spectromicroscopy, we selectively probe the magnetic order in the two layers. A transition from perpendicular to parallel spin alignment is observed for these nanostructures, dependent on size and crystalline orientation. The results show that shape-induced anisotropy in the antiferromagnet can override the interface exchange coupling in spin-flop coupled nanostructures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway. folven@ntnu.no
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Folven
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scholl
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Scott T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Retterer
authors.forename: Jos E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Boschker
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tybell
authors.forename: Yayoi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takamura
authors.forename: Jostein K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Grepstad