Exchange-spring driven spin-flop transition in DyFe 2 /YFe 2 superlattices

Exchange-spring driven spin-flop transition is observed in hysteresis loops of an antiferromagnetic [DyFe2 40Å/YFe2 160Å]×20 superlattice at temperatures higher than 100K, with field along the in-plane easy axis [1¯10]. OOMMF micromagnetic simulation reveals that this transition is derived from the magneto-elastic interaction in DyFe2. Conventional exchange spring behavior is also observable at smaller fields. Simulation shows that it is caused by the simultaneous rotation of the magnetization vectors of both the hard and soft layers towards [010]. Experiment and simulation agree qualitatively with each other.