Antiferromagnetic layer thickness dependence of the IrMn/Co exchange-bias system

A study of exchange bias in IrMn/Co systems is presented. Temperature and thickness dependence studies have revealed nonmonotonic behavior in both exchange bias field and coercivity with both variables. In particular the exchange bias field shows a peak for low IrMn thicknesses that is suppressed at temperatures higher than about 200 K. Calculations using the domain state model of exchange biasing are able to describe all the features seen in the experimental data.