Exchange anisotropy in PtMn/Ni80Fe20 films on MgO(110)

Abstract For the first time, we successfully developed exchange anisotropy of PtMn/Ni80Fe20 (1 1 0) bilayers grown on a MgO(1 1 0) substrate with or without Pt buffer layer. The results of angular-dependent magneto-optical Kerr effect indicate that the PtMn/Ni80Fe20(1 1 0) films possess unidirectional anisotropy with coercivity and exchange field around 135 Oe and 60 Oe, respectively. The Pt buffer layer strongly influences the formation of epitaxial PtMn/Ni80Fe20 bilayers.