Effect of remanent magnetization on exchange biasing in [Pd/Co]×5/FeMn films

Abstract The effect of remanent magnetization, which is defined as the initial state of magnetization before FeMn pinning, on exchange biasing in [Pd/Co]×5/FeMn multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was investigated. As the Co thickness increases from 0.23 to 0.55 nm in [Pd(0.6 nm)/Co]×5 multilayers, the remanent magnetization M rm values of as-deposited samples decrease from maximum magnetization M s to almost zero due to the weakened perpendicular anisotropy. After the [Pd/Co]×5 multilayers were pinned by FeMn layer, the magnetization curve and perpendicular exchange-biasing field H eb become strongly related to the remanent magnetization.