Preisach analysis of epitaxial hard/soft bilayers

We used the moving Preisach model to study the magnetization-reversal proce ss in epitaxial SmCo (1 (1) over bar0 0)/Fe bilayers prepared by magnetron sputtering. The SmCo(20 nm)/Fe(t nm) (t = 0,5,10,20) bilayers were grown on to single-crystal (110)MgO substrates with an epitaxial 20 mn Cr(211) buffe r layer. The second-quadrant magnetization curves were strictly reversible up to a field H-o, close to the field H-c at which the magnetization switch ed irreversibly. Henkel plots for these bilayers indicated very strong magn etizing interactions for all films. Magnetization reversal in these films r eflects their epitaxial structure. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.