Macedo, W. A. A., Sahoo, B., Eisenmenger, J., Martins, M. D., Keune, W., Kuncser, V., Röhlsberger, R., Leupold, O., Rüffer, R., Nogués, J., Liu, K., Schlage, K., Schuller, I. K.
Direct measurement of depth-dependent Fe spin structure during magnetization reversal in Fe/MnF2 exchange-coupled bilayers
Physical Review B 78, (22),pp 224401/1-4 (2008)
We measured directly the depth-dependent Fe spin rotation upon magnetization reversal in exchange-coupled Fe/MnF2 bilayers using nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation from an 57Fe-probe layer buried at different depths within the Fe film. Our results show that the exchange-biased ferromagnetic layer develops a noncollinear spin structure along the film normal direction, reminiscent of a partial domain wall parallel to the Fe/MnF2 interface. This is contrary to most theoretical models of exchange bias which assume a collinear spin structure in the ferromagnetic layer.