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Local Writing of Exchange Biased Domains in a Heterostructure of Co/Pd Pinned by Magnetoelectric Chromia
Author(s) -
Singh Uday,
Echtenkamp W.,
Street M.,
Binek Ch.,
Adenwalla S.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201602466
Subject(s) - exchange bias , materials science , condensed matter physics , ferromagnetism , magnetization , chromia , antiferromagnetism , heterojunction , magnetic hysteresis , hysteresis , magnetic anisotropy , optoelectronics , magnetic field , physics , alloy , metallurgy , quantum mechanics
The writing of micrometer‐scaled exchange bias domains by local, laser heating of a thin‐film heterostructure consisting of a perpendicular anisotropic ferromagnetic Co/Pd multilayer and a (0001) oriented film of the magnetoelectric antiferromagnet Cr 2 O 3 (chromia) is reported. Exchange coupling between chromia's boundary magnetization and the ferromagnet leads to perpendicular exchange bias. Focused scanning magneto‐optical Kerr measurements are used to measure local hysteresis loops and create a map of the exchange bias distribution as a function of the local boundary magnetization imprinted in the antiferromagnetic pinning layer on field cooling. The robust boundary magnetization of the Cr 2 O 3 fundamentally alters the exchange bias mechanism, enabling the writing of micrometer‐scaled regions of oppositely directed exchange bias using a focused laser beam.