Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/S04703/01
Title:	Exchange Bias
Principal Investigator:	Hickey, Professor B
Other Investigators:	Steadman, Dr P Langridge, Dr S Blamire, Professor M Marrows, Professor CH
Researcher Co-Investigators:	Dr M Ali
Project Partners:
Department:	Physics and Astronomy
Organisation:	University of Leeds
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 April 2003	Ends:	31 March 2006	Value (£):	226,825
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
Despite a large number of laboratories working on exchange biasing, a complete understanding is still lacking. We have worked on this problem for the past two years and have reached the point where we believe significant breakthroughs can be made. We have developed an artificial model system of AF-coupled Co/Ru multilayers and F-coupled Co/Ru layers that exhibit all the characteristics of normally exchanged biased systems. Uniquely the AF layers of this system are amenable to magnetic investigation whereas real AF materials are not. We shall use PNR to investigate the role of domains, interface roughness and coupling in a test of the current models of exchange biasing. We have developed a remarkable degree of control over these samples in terms of anisotropy and coupling strengths. This will enable us to study temperature effects with unprecedented access to information about the magnetic state of the AF layer. We will also use the chemical selectivity of photoemission electron microscopy to directly image the domains in the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic layers. By appropriate sample and magnetic preparation we will attempt to unravel the connection between the AF and F domains. Finally by appropriate choice of Tc for the F layer, we have recently shown that the blocking temperature is not a property of the AF layer alone but depends on the F-AF interaction. For the same AF layer thickness and two different F layers, we have been able to vary TB by over an order of magnitude. Understanding this in detail will represent a significant step forward.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.leeds.ac.uk