Microstructure and magnetic domain structure of Co/NiFe/MnNi systems

A Co/NiFe ferromagnetic bilayer has been exchange-coupled to MnNi and the r esulting system has been annealed at different temperatures for several hou rs in a static magnetic field. The magnetic and microstructural properties have been studied as well as the effect of a Ta seed layer. The study has f ocused on the evolution of the exchange-bias field with that of MnNi struct ure which transforms from a nonmagnetic as-grown cubic phase to the antifer romagnetic tetragonal phase after annealing.