Local Writing of Exchange Biased Domains in a Heterostructure of Co/Pd Pinned by Magnetoelectric Chromia

Authors

Uday Singh, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
William Echtenkamp, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
M. Street, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Christian Binek, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Shireen Adenwalla, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

9-2016

Citation

Published in Advanced Functional Materials 26 (2016), pp 7470–7478

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201602466

Comments

Copyright © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. Used by permission

Abstract

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 Cr₂O₃ (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 Cr₂O₃ fundamentally alters the exchange bias mechanism, enabling the writing of micrometer-scaled regions of oppositely directed exchange bias using a focused laser beam.

Includes supplemental files