Structure and properties of sputtered FeMn/NiFe bilayer thin films

The exchange anisotropy and magnetic properties of FeMn/NiFe exchange coupled bilayer thin films with various NiFe [111] crystal axis distributions have been investigated. The exchange anisotropy and magnetic properties of the exchange coupled films have been found to be very sensitive to the dispersion of the NiFe [111] crystal axis, i.e. /spl Delta//spl theta//sub 50/. Higher exchange anisotropy field (H/sub e/) is obtained for the FeMn deposited on the highly oriented NiFe film (/spl Delta//spl theta//sub 50/ of 2.8/spl deg/). While lower exchange anisotropy field is obtained for the FeMn film deposited on NiFe film having more random [111] crystal axis distribution (/spl Delta//spl theta//sub 50/ of 11.8/spl deg/). Also, the magnetic characteristics of the exchange coupled films were found to be dependent upon the [111] orientation distributions of the NiFe films. Very low coercivity H/sub c/spl par// (measured along the easy direction) and large anisotropy field increase (/spl Delta/H/sub k/) were found for the sample film of FeMn deposited on highly oriented NiFe film.