Rapid suppression of exchange bias across thin Au spacer layers - art. no.132401

Using a CoO/Au/Co trilayer system, the exchange bias across nonmagnetic spa cers has been investigated. X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy have been applied to provide a detail ed analysis of the layered structure. Investigations on the magnetic behavi or reveal that relatively strong exchange coupling is maintained up to a no minal spacer layer thickness of 22.5 Angstrom. In contrast to recent studie s on similar trilayers, the decrease of the exchange bias field with increa sing spacer thickness is more abrupt and not a gradual exponential reductio n.