Fe-coverage-induced out-of-plane spin components of the antiferromagnetic spin structure in exchange-biased FeFeSn2 bilayers

F. Stromberg, W. Keune, V. E. Kuncser, and K. Westerholt
Phys. Rev. B 72, 064440 – Published 19 August 2005

Abstract

Exchange-coupled FeFeSn2(001) bilayer systems consisting of a polycrystalline ferromagnetic Fe layer grown on an epitaxial antiferromagnetic FeSn2 layer have been prepared by molecular beam epitaxy and investigated by Fe57 conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry. The systems show a significant exchange bias effect at low temperatures. Tracer layers of Fe57 (in the Fe layer) and FeSn257 (in the FeSn2 layer) have been placed in the samples in order to probe the spontaneous spin orientation at different distances from the FeFeSn2 interface. The Fe spins in the ferromagnetic layer are preferentially oriented in the interfacial plane. In as-prepared samples the presence of the Fe top layer induces a striking out-of-plane component of the interfacial Fe spins in the antiferromagnetic FeSn2 film. This perpendicular component decreases in magnitude at a larger distance from the interface. A reorientation transition from out-of-plane toward in-plane spin orientation was observed in the interfacial FeSn2 layer with increasing age of the sample. This effect is correlated with an increased magnitude of the exchange bias field for the aged samples.

    • Received 28 December 2004

    DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.72.064440

    ©2005 American Physical Society

    Authors & Affiliations

    F. Stromberg and W. Keune*

    • Fachbereich Physik, Universität Duisburg-Essen (Campus Duisburg), D-47048, Duisburg, Germany

    V. E. Kuncser

    • National Institute of Materials Physics, P.O.Box MG 7, 77125, Bucharest-Magurele, Romania

    K. Westerholt

    • Institut für Experimentalphysik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, D-44780 Bochum, Germany

    • *Corresponding author. Electronic address: keune@uni-duisburg.de

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    Issue

    Vol. 72, Iss. 6 — 1 August 2005

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