EXCHANGE COUPLING FERROMAGNET ANTIFERROMAGNET BILAYERS WITH COMPARABLE T-C AND T-N/

Exchange coupling has been observed in FM/AF bilayers with T-C close t o, and less than, T-N. The exchange field H-E and coercivity H-c show an unusual temperature dependence due to the 1/M-F dependence and the influence of the FM ordering by the AF layer at T > T-C. The exchange coupling energy vanishes at T-N, whereas the intrinsic H-c vanishes at T-C. The FM/AF exchange coupling preserves some degree of ordering in the FM layer even at T > T-C.