Title: Quantitative analysis of the influence of keV He ion bombardment on exchange bias layer systems,
Abstract: The mechanism of ion bombardment induced magnetic patterning of exchange bias
layer systems for creating engineered magnetic stray field landscapes is still
unclear. We compare results from vectorial magneto-optic Kerr effect
measurements to a recently proposed model with time dependent rotatable
magnetic anisotropy. Results show massive reduction of rotational magnetic
anisotropy compared to all other magnetic anisotropies. We disprove the
assumption of comparable weakening of all magnetic anisotropies and show that
ion bombardment mainly influences smaller grains in the antiferromagnet.