Abstract
The exchange bias effect of Co/CoO bilayers is found to significantly increase when an ultra-thin, non-magnetic insulating AlOx spacer is added at the ferromagnet/antiferromagnet interface. The dependence on the spacer thickness is non-monotonic with a maximum two-fold enhancement of the exchange bias field HEB at a spacer thickness of 1.0 nm. These observations are explained in terms of a discontinuous layer structure of the spacer and its thickness evolution. There is no indication of a magnetic interaction across the AlOx spacer layer.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 233-239 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Europhysics Letters |
Volume | 68 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2004 |
Externally published | Yes |