Ferromagnetic resonance studies of exchange-biased Permalloy thin films

Abstract

Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectra of Permalloy thin films exchange-coupled to iron-manganese films are analyzed. Studies were made on bilayer, ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic (FA) and trilayer (AFA) structures, as a function of both F and A layer thicknesses in the range 20-800 A. Data are presented at a frequency of 9.3 GHz for both in-plane and perpendicular directions of the applied field, and at 34.1 GHz, in-plane. Analysis of these data enables extraction of the magnetization, gyromagnetic ratio, and an exchange shift due to spin-wave stiffness and perpendicular-surface anisotropy, as a function of layer thickness. The azimuthal dependence of the in-plane resonance is used to determine the magnitude of the exchange anisotropy (bias field). The magnetization and gyromagnetic ratio show little dependence on the thickness of either the F or A layer down to 50 A, implying that the interfaces are sharp on a scale of a few lattice constants. Within this interfacial region the magnetization is reduced as a result of interaction with the antiferromagnet. We suggest that the perpendicular-surface anisotropy is created by exchange coupling to the antiferromagnet whose easy axes are not in the plane of the interface. Finally, we suggest a model for exchange anisotropy in which the antiferromagnetic domain pattern is not totally locked, but adjusts in response to the ferromagnetization. Such a model qualitatively explains the bias field exerted by the antiferromagnetic layer deposited before the ferromagnet, the field-training effect, the FMR linewidth, and the magnitude of the bias field. © 1988 The American Physical Society.