Coexisting spin-flop coupling and exchange bias in LaFeO3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 heterostructures
Olsen, Fredrik Kjemperud; Hallsteinsen, Ingrid; Arenholtz, Elke; Tybell, Per Thomas Martin; Folven, Erik
Journal article, Peer reviewed
Accepted version
View/ Open
Date
2019Metadata
Show full item recordCollections
Abstract
Exchange bias occurs in field-cooled antiferromagnet/ferromagnet systems and can most often be explained in terms of uncompensated magnetic moments at the interface that are pinned in their orientation during field cooling. The presence of spin-flop coupling is often associated with spin-compensated interfaces. Here, we report exchange bias in complex oxide heterostructures of antiferromagnetic LaFeO3 and thin layers of ferromagnetic La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 with several intriguing features. The exchange bias does not require field cooling but can also be obtained by applying a setting field at elevated temperature. Furthermore, the exchange bias is positive for setting fields up to 3 T, and its magnitude is strongly dependent on the setting-field strength. X-ray magnetic linear dichroism measurements show a predominantly perpendicular spin configuration at the interface. We discuss the possibility of the exchange bias being driven by a net moment from spin canting in the antiferromagnet due to Dzyaloshinkii-Moriya interactions.