Exchange biasing in sputtered NiFe/PtMn bilayers

The exchange coupling between ferromagnetic Ni81Fe19 and antiferromagnetic (AF) PtxMn1-x films prepared by rf and dc magnetron sputtering has been inv estigated. The Pt content in the PtxMn1-x film is in the range of 0 at. %< x < 20 at. %. The exchange field and coercivity were found to depend strong ly on the deposition conditions and the AF film composition. X-ray diffract ion measurements and transmission electron microscopy measurement showed a gamma-PtMn phase with a disordered fcc structure when the PtxMn1-x was depo sited on top of the Ni81Fe19 layer. The exchange bias was found to depend o n the texture and film composition of the gamma-PtMn layers. (C) 2000 Ameri can Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)35608-0].