Angular dependence of the magnetization reversal in exchange-biased Fe/MnF2 -: art. no. 132501

A detailed study of exchange-biased Fe/MnF2 bilayers using magneto-optical Kerr effect shows that the magnetization reversal occurs almost fully through domain wall nucleation and propagation for external fields parallel to the exchange-bias direction. For finite angles phi between bias and external field, the magnetization is aligned perpendicular to the cooling-field direction for a limited field range for decreasing fields. For external fields perpendicular to the bias direction, the magnetization aligns with the cooling-field direction for descending and ascending fields before fully reversing. The field range for which the magnetization is close to perpendicular to the external field can be estimated using a simple effective-field model. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.