Exchange bias in Ferromagnetic/Antiferromagnetic bilayer systems with varying microstructure and sequence of layer deposition

Correlations of the exchange bias and surface roughness in bilayer structures of a ferromagnetic (Ni 80 Fe 20 )/antiferromagnetic (Ir 25 Mn 75 ) type (F/AF structures) with varying thickness and sequence of deposition of the AF layer are studied using the angular dependence of the resonance field of the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). It is found that the roughness of the samples in structures with an AF layer deposited on top of an F layer (TS type) is higher than in structures with an AF layer located at the bottom (BS type). The possible causes of differences in the behavior of the exchange bias as a function of surface roughness in samples with the different location of the AF layer are discussed.