Electron holography study of remanence states in exchange-biased MnPd/Fe bilayers grown epitaxially on MgO(001).

We investigated magnetic remanence states of epitaxially grown, exchange-biased MnPd/Fe bilayers by electron holography emphasizing the crystallographic orientations of the layers. Thin-foil transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens were carefully prepared along both hard and easy axes of the Fe layer. The ex situ magnetization-reversal process was carried out using the TEM specimens, and magnetic flux densities of the ultra-thin Fe layers were evaluated at different remanence states. We show that a spin configuration in the TEM specimens is determined by the competition between an exchange coupling at the MnPd/Fe bilayer interface, shape anisotropy of TEM specimens and intrinsic magnetocrystalline anisotropy of Fe.