Exchange-biased Co layers deposited on self-organized faceted NiO epitaxially grown on MgO(110)

Abstract

We have sputter grown conformal Co layers on self-organized faceted NiO epitaxial bilayers on MgO(110). The film structures reveal parallel Co stripes aligned in the plane of the substrates along the MgO [001] direction due to a roofed NiO surface. The stripe lengths are of the order of the micrometer, and their widths do not exceed 150 \AA{}, so they can be considered nanostripes. Their magnetic easy axis is dominated by shape anisotropy along the stripes. A moderate exchange bias field is shown along the same direction.