Exchange bias effect in antiferromagnets containing ferromagnetic clusters

Abstract

This study offers an explanation for the occurrence of magnetization exchange bias in antiferromagnets with ferromagnetic inclusions during pre-cooling the system in a magnetic field. The ferromagnetic (FM) subsystem ordered in this field at the Néel temperature leads to an inhomogeneous state of the antiferromagnetic (AFM) matrix with the finite mean effective field at the FM/AFM interface. This field causes exchange bias in the dependence M = M(H) during further remagnetization of the heterogeneous system. To describe the proposed scenario for such an effect, a simple model of a two-dimensional system with round inclusions of the FM phase was considered. Using numerical calculations and previously obtained analytical results, the study determines magnetization dependencies on the external field, which qualitatively explains the features of exchange bias in experimentally studied heterogeneous systems.