Exchange biasing in polycrystalline thin film microstructures

The effect of lateral element size, shape, and ferromagnetic layer thickness on exchange biasing in polycrystalline IrMn/CoFe thin film elements has been studied. Magnetic hysteresis loop measurements and magnetic force microscopy imaging have been used to elucidate the basic micromagnetic behavior. Magnetic imaging of micron scale elements illustrates that the magnetization reversal modes change significantly from those of unbiased ferromagnetic elements. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.