The anomalous exchange bias effect in core-shell Co/CoO nanoparticles

We study the anomalous exchange bias effect in Co/CoO nanoparticles by means of neutron and x-ray scattering and magnetic experiments. The Co nanoparticles were prepared in oleic acid by thermal decomposition of Co$_{2}$(CO)$_{8}$ and were subsequently oxidized. Co core- CoO shell nanoparticles with differing core and shell dimensions were obtained. The magnetic measurements indicated that there is an optimal ratio of the core and shell dimensions which maximizes the exchange bias field. Anomalous small angle x-ray scattering experiments using core-shell contrast and energy analysis provide high accuracy measurements of the core and shell, and their respective size distributions. Neutron diffraction measurements find that oxidation introduces a new modulation wave vector for the magnetization, leading to the increasing magnetic decompensation of the core-shell interface. It is our proposal that this interface moment enhances the exchange coupling of the core and shell, and leads to the extraordinarily large exchange bias effect.