Ultrathin limit of exchange bias coupling at oxide multiferroic/ferromagnetic interfaces

M Huijben; P Yu; L W Martin; H J A Molegraaf; Y-H Chu; M B Holcomb; N Balke; G Rijnders; R Ramesh

doi:10.1002/adma.201300940

Ultrathin limit of exchange bias coupling at oxide multiferroic/ferromagnetic interfaces

Adv Mater. 2013 Sep 14;25(34):4739-45. doi: 10.1002/adma.201300940. Epub 2013 Jul 12.

Authors

M Huijben¹, P Yu, L W Martin, H J A Molegraaf, Y-H Chu, M B Holcomb, N Balke, G Rijnders, R Ramesh

Affiliation

¹ MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. BOX 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands. m.huijben@utwente.nl.

PMID: 23847010
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201300940

Abstract

Exchange bias coupling at the multiferroic- ferromagnetic interface in BiFeO₃ /La₀.₇ Sr₀.₃ MnO₃ heterostructures exhibits a critical thickness for ultrathin BiFeO₃ layers of 5 unit cells (2 nm). Linear dichroism measurements demonstrate the dependence on the BiFeO₃ layer thickness with a strong reduction for ultrathin layers, indicating diminished antiferromagnetic ordering that prevents interfacial exchange bias coupling.

Keywords: exchange bias; ferromagnet; interface; multiferroic; oxide heterostructure.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.