En las fronteras de la Materia Condensada

The study of the exchange bias (EB) phenomenon has witnessed a flurry of activity during recent years, which stems from its use in magnetic sensors and as stabilizers in magnetic reading heads. EB was discovered in 1956 but it attracted only limited attention until its use in devices, closely related to giant magnetoresistance, was developed during the last decade. In this paper I first give a short introduction, listing the most salient experimental results and what is required from an EB theory. Next, I indicate some of the obstacles in the road towards a satisfactory understanding of the phenomenon. The main body of the text points out a contribution by Weissmann et al in which an attempt to estimate the interfacial exchange parameters was undertaken. This subject is of crucial importance to develop a proper understanding of EB.