The overall and element specific magnetism in an exchange biased [Ni${}_{80}$Fe${}_{20}$/Mn]${}_3$ film system, with film layers 3.5 nm thick, has been studied to examine the magnetism between interfacial Mn, Ni, and Fe spins. Field-cooling the film results in large exchange bias loop shifts at temperatures from 2 to 30 K, and an enhanced coercivity remains until 75 K. The elemental magnetism ascertained from x-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements shows that Mn appears to be a fully compensated antiferromagnet down to 20 K, and there is clear evidence of an enhanced orbital moment for both Fe and Ni from 20 to 300 K. This magnetism is likely due to overlapping $d$ orbitals between Fe-Mn and Ni-Mn, with this coupling increasing the local anisotropy resulting in the enhanced coercivity and enabling exchange bias.

• Received 28 June 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.87.014402