Competition between interfacial and interlayer exchange couplings in Co/Cr2O3/Fe trilayers

The temperature dependence of competition between interlayer and interfacial couplings is observed at different temperatures in Co (3 nm)/Cr2O3 (t)/Fe (10 nm) trilayers with t = 3 nm, 6 nm, 15 nm and 25 nm, respectively. The interlayer coupling enhances and the interfacial coupling weakens with increasing temperature. The balanceable temperature between interfacial and interlayer couplings shifts to low temperatures with increasing spacer thickness. Furthermore, the competition between interfacial and interlayer couplings greatly affects the magnetotransport properties of the trilayers. The negative magnetoresistance and the minimum resistance corresponding to balanceable temperature are found in trilayers.

Research highlightsIn this paper, we report the observation of the competition between interfacial coupling in FM/AF and interlayer coupling in Co/Cr2O3/Fe trilayers with different spacer thicknesses at different temperatures. Furthermore, the magnetotransport properties of trilayers are greatly affected by the competition between interfacial coupling between FM and AF layers and interlayer coupling between two FM layers.