Exchange-biased La2/3Ca1/3(Sr-1/3)MnO3 ultrathin films

Exchange-induced unidirectional anisotropy in trilayers consisting of a thi n conductive ferromagnetic layer of La2/3Ca1/3(Sr-1/3)MnO3 sandwiched betwe en two antiferromagnetic layers of La1/3Ca2/3MnO3 has been demonstrated thr ough studies of magnetization, magnetoresistance, and in-plane anisotropy o f magnetoresistance. The structures were grown by ozone-assisted molecular beam epitaxy and were characterized by a number of techniques. The possibil ity for the development of exchange-biased magnetic tunnel junctions using these nonclassic double-exchange ferromagnets is discussed. (C) 2000 Americ an Institute of Physics. [S0003- 6951(00)00404-6].