Numerical simulation of magnetization process in antiferromagnetic ferromagnetic bilayer with compensated interface

TL;DR

This paper uses mean-field approximation to simulate magnetization in antiferromagnetic ferromagnetic bilayers, revealing exchange coupling, hysteresis behaviors, and the effects of domain structures on magnetic properties.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed simulation of magnetization processes in bilayers with compensated interfaces, highlighting exchange bias and hysteresis phenomena.

Findings

Perpendicular exchange coupling exists in bilayers with compensated interfaces.

Symmetrical hysteresis loops occur in uniform antiferromagnetic films.

Shifted hysteresis loops with exchange bias are observed in non-uniform films with domains.

Abstract

The properties of antiferromagnetic ferromagnetic bilayer have been studied using self-consistent mean-field approximation for Heisenberg Hamiltonian. The perpendicular exchange coupling has been revealed in a bilayer with a compensated interface. For a uniform antiferromagnetic film a symmetrical hysteresis loop has been calculated, because the transverse instability develops within the antiferromagnetic film at certain critical value of external magnetic field. On the other hand, shifted hysteresis loop with a finite exchange bias field has been obtained for a non-uniform antiferromagnetic film consisting of various domains with perpendicular directions of the easy anisotropy axes.