A method for the determination of exchange and magnetocrystalline anisotropies in exchange-coupled thin films

A method for the determination of exchange and magnetocrystalline anisotrop ies in exchange-coupled bilayer thin films is presented. The interfacial ex change anisotropy is modeled as a magnetic field H-E. The ferromagnetic fil m is taken to be a single crystal with cubic and uniaxial magnetocrystallin e anisotropies. The method is based on the torque curve slope. It will be s hown how the study of the torque curve slope can lead to the values of the exchange anisotropy field H-E, the magnetization M and the cubic or the uni axial anisotropy fields. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .