Use of the anisotropic magnetoresistance to measure exchange anisotropy in Co/CoO bilayers

Direct ferromagnetic antiferromagnetic exchange biasing energy is determined by small reversible rotations of the magnetization away from the unidirectional easy axis using an externally applied magnetic field. The angle the magnetization makes relative to the easy direction is determined by measuring the anisotropic magnetoresistance. This technique gives energies larger by a factor of 2 than the traditional measurements of the shift in the hysteresis loop (an irreversible process) of the ferromagnetic layer in bilayer samples of Co/CoO. An apparent Co thickness variation of the experimentally determined exchange biasing interface energy indicates the Co magnetization is not uniform but probably spirals through the thickness of the film.