Exchange-biased La2/3Ca1/3(Sr1/3)MnO3 ultrathin films

Exchange-induced unidirectional anisotropy in trilayers consisting of a thin conductive ferromagnetic layer of La2/3Ca1/3(Sr1/3)MnO3 sandwiched between two antiferromagnetic layers of La1/3Ca2/3MnO3 has been demonstrated through studies of magnetization, magnetoresistance, and in-plane anisotropy of magnetoresistance. The structures were grown by ozone-assisted molecular beam epitaxy and were characterized by a number of techniques. The possibility for the development of exchange-biased magnetic tunnel junctions using these nonclassic double-exchange ferromagnets is discussed.