Influence of magnetic anisotropy on hysteresis behavior in the two-spin model of a ferro/antiferromagnet bilayer with exchange bias

Abstract

The influence of magnetic anisotropy of ferromagnetic film on the phenomenon of exchange bias is studied. Hysteresis behavior in the two-spin model of a ferro/antiferromagnet (FM/AFM) bilayer with exchange bias has been investigated in detail. In this model a half-space of AFM with fixed magnetic configuration contacts with a two-layer FM film. Twelve different types of magnetization curves M(H) (both with and without hysteresis) have been found. Some of the M(H) curves demonstrate unusual features, such as plateaus and inclined segments. The hysteresis loop becomes asymmetric if the surface anisotropy is taken into account.