Publication Type
Journal
Journal Name
Physical Review Letters
Publication Date
Page Number
147201
Volume
99
Issue
14
Abstract
In studying well-characterized, exchange-biased Fe3 O4 /CoO superlattices, we show that a causal
link exists between the exchange bias phenomenon and the perpendicular coupling of the ferrimag-
netic and antiferromagnetic spins. Neutron diffraction studies reveal that for thin CoO layers, the
onset temperature for exchange biasing TB matches the onset of locked-in, preferential perpendic-
ular coupling of the spins, rather than the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature TN . The results
are explained by considering the role of anisotropic exchange first proposed by Dzyaloshinsky and
Moriya and developing a model based purely on information on structural defects and exchange
for transition metal oxides. The devised mechanism provides a general explanation of biasing in
systems with perpendicular coupling.