Magnetization and polarized neutron reflectivity experiments on patterned exchange bias structures

Patterned Co/CoO thin film structures have been investigated by magnetization and polarized neutron reflectivity measurements in order to study the influence of finite size and shape anisotropy effects on the magnetization reversal. An anomaly was found in the upper branch of the hysteresis loops, probably caused by incomplete bias in the patterned structures. The asymmetry in magnetization reversal mechanism commonly found in the two branches of the hysteresis loops of unpatterned Co/CoO layers is altered in the patterned structures, consistent with the existence of interfacial domains. Copyright EDP Sciences/Società Italiana di Fisica/Springer-Verlag 2005