Ultra-low-pressure sputtering to improve exchange bias and tune linear ranges in spin valves

•Increasing exchange bias was achieved in bilayer at ultra-low-pressure sputtering.•The low void density and smooth surface were achieved in low pressure.•Varying exchange bias achieved tunable linear range in spin valve.

A series of CoFe/IrMn exchange bilayers was grown by DC-sputtering at different ultra-low argon pressures ranging from 0.008 to 0.1 Pa. This pressure range was one to two orders lower than the normal sputtering pressure. Results revealed that the exchange bias increased from 140 to 250 Oe in CoFe(10 nm)/IrMn (15 nm) bilayers of fixed thickness because of the improved crystalline structure and morphological uniformity of films. Since ferromagnetic /antiferromagnetic (FM/AF) bilayers are always used in linear magnetic sensors as detection layers, the varying exchange bias can successfully achieve tunable linear range in a crossed pinning spin valve. The linear range could be adjustable from −80 Oe - +80 Oe to −150 Oe - +150 Oe on the basis of giant magnetoresistance responses. Therefore, this method provides a simple method to tune the operating range of magnetic field sensors.