Interlayer antiferromagnetic coupling in Tb₃Fe₅O₁₂/Y₃Fe₅O₁₂ bilayers

Abstract

The interlayer antiferromagnetic (AFM) coupling between thin films plays a significant role in the application of spintronics and magnetic memory devices. Previously, we observed AFM coupling phenomenon at low temperatures in rare-earth iron garnet bilayers epitaxially grown on Y3Al5O12 substrates. Here, we report a detailed study on the impacts of various factors, including temperature, crystallographic orientation, and layer thickness, on the AMF coupling and magnetization reversal behavior of such a bilayer system. A simple energy model qualitatively described the coupling behavior of the two layers during the magnetization reversal process. The interlayer coupling strength was calculated by measuring the minor magnetic hysteresis loops. The current results can serve as a reminder for future research on interlayer AFM coupling phenomena and highlight the potential of manipulating the magnetic properties in rare-earth garnet bilayers for spintronics studies and other applications.