Exchange-biased Co layers deposited on self-organized faceted NiO epitaxially grown on MgO(110)

We have sputter grown conformal Co layers on self-organized faceted NiO epitaxial bilayers on MgO(110). The film structures reveal parallel Co stripes aligned in the plane of the substrates along the MgO [001] direction due to a roofed NiO surface. The stripe lengths are of the order of the micrometer, and their widths do not exceed 150 Angstrom, so they can be considered nanostripes. Their magnetic easy axis is dominated by shape anisotropy along the stripes. A moderate exchange bias field is shown along the same direction.