Perpendicular magnetization in CoO (111) layers induced by exchange interaction with ferromagnetic Co and Ni60Cu40 nanoclusters

Authors

Damien Le Roy, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
R. Morel, CEA, INAC, SP2M, 17 Rue des Martyrs, Grenoble F-38054, France
A. Brenac, CEA, INAC, SP2M, 17 Rue des Martyrs, Grenoble F-38054, France
S. Pouget, CEA, INAC, SP2M, 17 Rue des Martyrs, Grenoble F-38054, France
L. Notin, CEA, INAC, SP2M, 17 Rue des Martyrs, Grenoble F-38054, France

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2012

Citation

JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS 111, 083901 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3702445

Comments

Copyright 2012 American Institute of Physics. Used by permission.

Abstract

The magnetization reversal of ferromagnetic nanoparticles coupled by exchange with a CoO (111) thin film has been studied. The interfacial exchange interaction triggers the appearance of an out-of-plane magnetization in the CoO (111) film. Co and Ni₆₀Cu₄₀ particles were chosen, as they present an order of magnitude difference in the saturation magnetization and Curie temperatures that surround the Ne´el temperature of CoO. In both cases, the exchange coupling leads to an increase of the coercive field, up to 200% in Co particles, and small exchange bias of 100 Oe when the external magnetic field is applied in the CoO (111) plane. When the field is applied along the CoO [111] direction, an unexpected net magnetization of the CoO (111) layer is revealed. Interestingly, it scales with the particles magnetization. The results are explained in terms of a large interfacial interaction and an induced canting of the CoO spins in the close region of the interface. The large value of the CoO magnetization indicates that the canting settles over an extended thickness of at least 3.7 nm and 1.2 nm in the cases of Co and Ni₆₀Cu₄₀ particles, respectively, which is consistent with a compensated antiferromagnetic spins surface.