The Effect of an Al2O3 Layer on the Structural and Temperature-Dependent Magnetic Characteristics of Thin Cobalt Films

The cobalt films deposited using the magnetron method on an amorphous Al2O3 layer have been studied. The morphological and magnetic features determined by the formation of a naturally oxidized antiferromagnetic film on cobalt and the Al2O3/Co interface have been studied. A change in the sign of the exchange bias at temperatures below 200 K has been detected when the cobalt layer thickness on the Al2O3 film is more than 10 nm.