Study of magnetization reversal by minor loops in IrMn/CoFe exchange-biased bilayers.
We report a detailed investigation of the magnetization reversal by minor loops in Co75Fe25 (t) single layer and Ir22Mn78(10 nm)/CoFe(t) exchange-biased bilayers with different CoFe thicknesses. With increasing CoFe layer thickness in IrMn/CoFe bilayers, the magnetization reversal process shows a transition from the coherent rotation to the domain-wall motion, which is attributed to the competition among the antiferromagnetic domain wall energy, ferromagnetic domain wall energy, and the interface coupling between antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic layers.
State Key Laboratory of Magnetism, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100190, China.
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L
Wang
S G
SG
Wang
Q H
QH
Qin
X F
XF
Han