Controllable positive exchange bias via redox-driven oxygen migration

Dustin A. Gilbert, Justin Olamit, Randy K. Dumas, B. J. Kirby, Alexander J. Grutter, Brian B. Maranville, Elke Arenholz, Julie A. Borchers and Kai Liu ()
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Dustin A. Gilbert: University of California, Davis
Justin Olamit: University of California, Davis
Randy K. Dumas: University of California, Davis
B. J. Kirby: NIST Center for Neutron Research
Alexander J. Grutter: NIST Center for Neutron Research
Brian B. Maranville: NIST Center for Neutron Research
Elke Arenholz: Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Julie A. Borchers: NIST Center for Neutron Research
Kai Liu: University of California, Davis

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Ionic transport in metal/oxide heterostructures offers a highly effective means to tailor material properties via modification of the interfacial characteristics. However, direct observation of ionic motion under buried interfaces and demonstration of its correlation with physical properties has been challenging. Using the strong oxygen affinity of gadolinium, we design a model system of GdxFe1−x/NiCoO bilayer films, where the oxygen migration is observed and manifested in a controlled positive exchange bias over a relatively small cooling field range. The exchange bias characteristics are shown to be the result of an interfacial layer of elemental nickel and cobalt, a few nanometres in thickness, whose moments are larger than expected from uncompensated NiCoO moments. This interface layer is attributed to a redox-driven oxygen migration from NiCoO to the gadolinium, during growth or soon after. These results demonstrate an effective path to tailoring the interfacial characteristics and interlayer exchange coupling in metal/oxide heterostructures.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11050

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