Browsing by Author "Wang, XL"

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    Boson peak in ultrathin alumina layers investigated with neutron spectroscopy
    (American Physical Society, 2020-06-11) Cortie, DL; Cyster, MJ; Ablott, TA; Richardson, C; Smith, JS; Iles, GN; Wang, XL; Mitchell, DRG; Mole, RA; de Souza, NR; Yu, DH; Cole, JH
    Bulk glasses exhibit extra vibrational modes at low energies, collectively known as the boson peak. The vibrational dynamics in nanoscale alumina glasses have an impact on the performance of qubits and other superconducting devices; however, the frequency of the boson peak has not been previously measured. Here we report neutron spectroscopy experiments on Al/Al2O3 nanoparticles consisting of spherical metallic cores with a radii from 20 to 1000 nm surrounded by a 3.5-nm-thick alumina glass. A low-energy peak is observed at ωBP = 2.8 ± 0.6 meV for highly oxidized particles, indicating an excess in the density of states. The intensity of the peak scales inversely with particle size and oxide fraction, indicating a surface origin, and is redshifted by 3 meV with respect to the van Hove singularity of γ -phase Al2O3 nanocrystals. Molecular-dynamics simulations of α-Al2O3, γ -Al2O3 and α-Al2O3 show that the observed boson peak is a signature of the ultrathin glass surface and the characteristic frequency is reduced compared to the peak in the bulk glass. © 2020 The Authors. Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
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    Copper diffusion rates and hopping pathways in superionic Cu 2Se: implications for thermoelectricity
    (SSRN, 2020-10-21) Nazrul Islam, SMK; Mayank, P; Ouyang, Y; Chen, J; Sagotra, AK; Li, M; Cortie, MB; Mole, RA; Cazorla, C; Yu, DH; Wang, XL; Robinson, RA; Cortie, DL
    The ultra-low thermal conductivity of Cu2Se is well established, but there is so far no consensus on the underlying mechanism. One proposal is that the fast-ionic diffusion of copper suppresses the acoustic phonons. The diffusion coefficients reported previously, however, differ by two orders of magnitude between the various studies and it remains unclear whether the diffusion is fast enough to impact the heat-bearing phonons. Here, a two-fold approach is used to accurately re-determine the diffusion rates. Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations, incorporating landmark analysis techniques, were closely compared with experimental quasielastic/inelastic neutron spectroscopy. Reasonable agreement was found between these approaches, consistent with the experimental coefficient of 3.1 ± 1.3 10-5 cm2.s-1 and an activation barrier of 140 ± 60 meV. The hopping mechanism includes short 2 Å hops between tetragonal and interstitial octahedral sites. This process forms dynamic Frenkel defects, however, there is no indication of additional broadening in the density-of-states indicating the intrinsic anharmonic interactions dictate the phonon lifetimes. © Preprint article - 2023 Elsevier Inc.
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    Copper diffusion rates and hopping pathways in superionic Cu2Se
    (Elsevier, 2021-08-15) Nazrul Islam, SMK; Mayank, P; Ouyang, Y; Chen, J; Sagotra, AK; Li, M; Cortie, MB; Mole, RA; Cazorla, C; Yu, DH; Wang, XL; Robinson, RA; Cortie, DL
    The ultra-low thermal conductivity of Cu2Se is well established, but so far there is no consensus on the underlying mechanism. One proposal is that the fast-ionic diffusion of copper suppresses the acoustic phonons. The diffusion coefficients reported previously, however, differ by two orders of magnitude between the various studies and it remains unclear whether the diffusion is fast enough to impact the heat-bearing phonons. Here, a two-fold approach is used to accurately re-determine the diffusion rates. Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations, incorporating landmark analysis techniques, were closely compared with experimental quasielastic/inelastic neutron scattering. Reasonable agreement was found between these approaches, consistent with a diffusion coefficient of 3.1 ± 1.3 x 10−5 cm2.s−1 at 675 K and an activation barrier of 140 ± 60 meV. The hopping mechanism includes short 2 Å hops between tetrahedral and interstitial octahedral sites. This process forms dynamic Frenkel defects. Despite the latter processes, there is no major loss of the phonon mode intensity in the superionic state, and there is no strong correlation between the phonon spectra and the increased diffusion rates. Instead, intrinsic anharmonic phonon interactions appear to dictate the thermal conductivity above and below the superionic transition, and there is only subtle mode broadening associated with the monoclinic-cubic structural transition point, with the phonon density-of-states remaining almost constant at higher temperatures. © 2021 Acta Materialia Inc.
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    Creating thin magnetic layers at the surface of Sb2Te3 topological insulators using a low-energy chromium ion beam
    (AIP Publishing, 2020-05-11) Cortie, DL; Zhao, WY; Yue, Z; Li, Z; Bake, A; Marenych, O; Pastuovic, Z; Nancarrow, M; Zhang, ZM; Qi, DC; Evans, PJ; Mitchell, DRG; Wang, XL
    The surfaces of Sb2Te3 topological insulator crystals were implanted using a 40 keV chromium ion beam. To facilitate uniform doping, the Sb2Te3 was passivated with a thin TiO2 film before the implantation step. The resulting chemical structure was studied using atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy. A fluence of 7 × 1015 ions/cm2 at 40 keV lead to amorphization of the Sb2Te3 surface, with chromium predominantly incorporated in the amorphous layer. Heating to 200 °C caused the amorphous region to recrystallize and led to the formation of a thin chromium-rich interfacial layer. Near-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy indicates a uniform valence state of Cr3+ throughout, with no evidence of metallic clustering. High-temperature superparamagnetic behavior was detected up to 300 K, with an increased magnetic moment below 50 K. © 2020 Author(s).
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    Depth-profiling magnetic interfaces formed intrinsically in FePt3 by ion-beams
    (American Physical Society, 2018-03-07) Causer, GL; Cortie, DL; Zhu, HL; Ionescu, M; Mankey, GJ; Wang, XL; Klose, F
    Using ion-beams to locally modify material properties is rapidly gaining momentum as a technique of choice for the fabrication of magnetic nano-elements because the method provides the capability to nano-engineer in 3D, which is important for many future spintronic technologies. The precise definition of the resulting element shape is crucial for device functionality. In this work, the intrinsic sharpness of a magnetic interface formed by nano-machining FePt3 films using He+ irradiation is investigated. Through careful selection of the irradiating ion’s energy and fluence, ferromagnetism is locally induced into a fractional volume of a paramagnetic (PM) FePt3 film by modifying the chemical order parameter. Using a combination of magnetometry, transmission electron microscopy and polarised neutron reflectometry it is demonstrated that the interface over which the PM to ferromagnetic modulation occurs is confined to a few atomic monolayers only. Using density functional theory, the mechanism for the ion-beam induced magnetic transition is elucidated and shown to be caused by an intermixing of Fe and Pt atoms in anti-site defects above a threshold density.
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    Development and investigation of a NASICON‐type high‐voltage cathode material for high‐power sodium‐ion batteries
    (Wiley, 2020-02-03) Chen, MZ; Hua, WB; Xiao, J; Cortie, DL; Guo, XD; Wang, E; Gu, QF; Hu, Z; Indris, S; Wang, XL; Chou, SL; Dou, SX
    Herein, we introduce a 4.0 V class high‐voltage cathode material with a newly recognized sodium superionic conductor (NASICON)‐type structure with cubic symmetry (space group P213), Na3V(PO3)3N. We synthesize an N‐doped graphene oxide‐wrapped Na3V(PO3)3N composite with a uniform carbon coating layer, which shows excellent rate performance and outstanding cycling stability. Its air/water stability and all‐climate performance were carefully investigated. A near‐zero volume change (ca. 0.40 %) was observed for the first time based on in situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction, and the in situ X‐ray absorption spectra revealed the V3.2+/V4.2+ redox reaction with high reversibility. Its 3D sodium diffusion pathways were demonstrated with distinctive low energy barriers. Our results indicate that this high‐voltage NASICON‐type Na3V(PO3)3N composite is a competitive cathode material for sodium‐ion batteries and will receive more attention and studies in the future. © 2019Wiley-VCHVerlagGmbH&Co
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    Development and investigation of a NASICON‐type high‐voltage cathode material for high‐power sodium‐ion batteries
    (Wiley, 2020-02-03) Chen, MZ; Hua, WB; Xiao, J; Cortie, DL; Guo, XD; Wang, E; Gu, QF; Hu, Z; Indris, S; Wang, XL; Chou, SL; Dou, SX
    Herein, we introduce a 4.0 V class high‐voltage cathode material with a newly recognized sodium superionic conductor (NASICON)‐type structure with cubic symmetry (space group P213), Na3V(PO3)3N. We synthesize an N‐doped graphene oxide‐wrapped Na3V(PO3)3N composite with a uniform carbon coating layer, which shows excellent rate performance and outstanding cycling stability. Its air/water stability and all‐climate performance were carefully investigated. A near‐zero volume change (ca. 0.40 %) was observed for the first time based on in situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction, and the in situ X‐ray absorption spectra revealed the V3.2+/V4.2+ redox reaction with high reversibility. Its 3D sodium diffusion pathways were demonstrated with distinctive low energy barriers. Our results indicate that this high‐voltage NASICON‐type Na3V(PO3)3N composite is a competitive cathode material for sodium‐ion batteries and will receive more attention and studies in the future. Copyright © 1999-2024 John Wiley & Sons, Inc or related companies.
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    Does the boson peak survive in an ultrathin oxide glass?
    (arXiv.org, 2019-07-29) Cortie, DL; Cyster, MJ; Smith, JS; Iles, GN; Wang, XL; Mitchell, DRG; Mole, RA; de Souza, NR; Yu, DH; Cole, JH
    Bulk glasses exhibit extra vibrational modes at low energies, known as the boson peak. The microscopic dynamics in nanoscale alumina impact the performance of qubits and other superconducting devices, however the existence of the boson peak in these glasses has not been previously measured. Here we report neutron spectroscopy on Al/Al2O3−x nanoparticles consisting of spherical metallic cores from 20 to 1000 nm surrounded by a 3.5 nm thick alumina glass. An intense low-energy peak is observed at ωBP = 2.8 ± 0.6 meV for highly oxidised particles, concurrent with an excess in the density of states. The intensity of the peak scales inversely with particle size and oxide fraction indicating a surface origin, and is red-shifted by 3 meV with respect to the van-Hove singularity of γ-phase Al2O3−x nanocrystals. Molecular dynamics simulations of α-Al2O3−x, γ-Al2O3−x and a-Al2O3−x show that the observed boson peak is a signature of the ultrathin glass surface, and the frequency is softened compared to that of the hypothetical bulk glass.
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    Enhanced thermoelectric performance and mechanical strength of n-type BiTeSe materials produced via a composite strategy
    (Elsevier, 2022-01) Yang, G; Sang, L; Mitchell, DRG; Yun, FF; See, KW; Ahmed, AJ; Sayyar, S; Bake, A; Liu, P; Chen, L; Yue, ZJ; Cortie, DL; Wang, XL
    Zone-melted Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 (ZM BTS) alloys are typical n-type commercial thermoelectric (TE) materials and are utilized for refrigeration and power generation near room temperature. They usually suffer from poor mechanical performance, as well as having a low figure of merit (ZT). In this work, we report an effective composite strategy to improve both the TE and mechanical performance of n-type BTS materials by incorporating carbon microfibers. The introduction of carbon microfibers in BTS effectively reduces the lattice thermal conductivity due to phonon scattering at multi-scale boundaries and due to the large interfacial thermal resistance arising from phonon mismatch between the constituent phases. Simultaneously, it also gives rise to an enhancement of the electrical conductivity, which originates from the increased carrier density without significant limitation on its weighted mobility. Consequently, a high peak ZT of 1.1 at 400 K and an average ZTave value of 0.95 are achieved in the temperature range 300 ~ 550 K, yielding a calculated efficiency of η = 9%. Moreover, the BTS/carbon microfiber composites show superior compressive strength compared to a commercial ZM BTS sample. This improved strength is highly desirable for real-world TE applications. Our results demonstrate a novel way to produce high-performance TE materials, in which interfaces with large thermal resistance are used to achieve low thermal conductivity without significantly degrading the electrical properties of the materials. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.
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    Exchange bias in a nanocrystalline hematite/permalloy thin film investigated with polarized neutron reflectometry
    (American Physical Society, 2012-08-07) Cortie, DL; Lin, KW; Shueh, C; Hsu, HF; Wang, XL; James, M; Fritzsche, H; Brück, S; Klose, F
    We investigated a hematite alpha-Fe2O3/permalloy Ni80Fe20 bilayer film where the antiferromagnetic layer consisted of small hematite grains in the 2 to 16 nm range. A pronounced exchange bias effect occurred below the blocking temperature of 40 K. The magnitude of exchange bias was enhanced relative to reports for identical compounds in large grain, epitaxial films. However, the blocking temperature was dramatically reduced. As the Neel temperature of bulk alpha-Fe2O3 is known to be very high (860 K), we attribute the low-temperature onset of exchange bias to the well-known finite-size effect which suppresses the Morin transition for nanostructured hematite. Polarized neutron reflectometry was used to place an upper limit on the concentration and length scale of a layer of uncompensated moments at the antiferromagnetic interface. The data were found to be consistent with an induced magnetic region at the antiferromagnetic interface of 0.5-1.0 mu(B) per Fe atom within a depth of 1-2 nm. The field dependence of the neutron spin-flip signal and spin asymmetry was analyzed in the biased state, and the first and second magnetic reversal were found to occur by asymmetric mechanisms. For the fully trained permalloy loop, reversal occurred symmetrically at both coercive fields by an in-plane spin rotation of ferromagnetic domains. © 2012, American Physical Society.
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    Experimental confirmation of the universal law for the vibrational density of states of liquids
    (American Chemical Society, 2022-04-02) Stamper, C; Cortie, DL; Yue, ZJ; Wang, XL; Yu, DH
    An analytical model describing the vibrational density of states (VDOS) of liquids has long been elusive, owing to the complexities of liquid dynamics. Nevertheless, Zaccone and Baggioli have recently developed such a model which was proposed to be the universal law for the vibrational density of states of liquids. Distinct from the Debye law, g(ω) ∝ ω2, for solids, the universal law for liquids reveals a linear relationship, g(ω) ∝ ω, in the low-energy region. We have confirmed this universal law with experimental VDOS measured by inelastic neutron scattering on real liquid systems including water, liquid metal, and polymer liquids, and have applied this model to extract the effective relaxation rate for the short time dynamics for each liquid. The model has also been further evaluated in the prediction of the specific heat with comparison to existing experimental data as well as with values obtained by different approaches. © 2022 American Chemical Society
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    Giant linear magnetoresistance in half-metallic Sr2CrMoO6 thin films
    (Springer Nature, 2021-12-01) Wang, ZC; Chen, L; Li, SS; Ying, JS; Tang, F; Gao, GY; Fang, Y; Zhao, WY; Cortie, DL; Wang, XL; Zheng, RK
    Linear magnetoresistance (LMR) is a special case of a magnetic-field induced resistivity response, which has been reported in highly disordered semiconductor systems and in topological materials. In this work, we observe LMR effect in half-metallic perovskite Sr2CrMoO6 thin films, of which the maximum MR value exceeds +1600% at 2 K and 14 T. It is an unusual behavior in ferrimagnetic double perovskite material like Sr2CrMoO6, which are known for intrinsic tunneling-type negative magnetoresistance. In the thin films, the high carriers’ density (~1022 cm−3) and ultrahigh mobility (~104 cm2 V−1 s−1) provide a low-resistivity (~10 nΩ·cm) platform for spin-polarized current. Our DFT calculations and magnetic measurements further support the half-metal band structure. The LMR effect in Sr2CrMoO6 could possibly originate from transport behavior that is governed by the guiding center motion of cyclotron orbitals, where the magnetic domain structure possibly provides disordered potential. The ultrahigh mobility and LMR in this system could broaden the applications of perovskites, and introduce more research on metallic oxide ferri-/ferro-magnetic materials. © The Author(s) 2021 - Open Access CC BY licence.
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    Graphene doping to enhance the flux pinning and supercurrent carrying ability of a magnesium diboride superconductor
    (Institute of Physics, 2010-08) Xu, X; Dou, SX; Wang, XL; Kim, JH; Stride, JA; Choucair, M; Yeoh, WK; Zheng, RK; Ringer, SP
    The effect of graphene doping on the electromagnetic properties of MgB2 has been examined, in comparison with the case for undoped MgB2. It was found that graphene doping is more efficient than other forms of carbon doping for effecting improvement in the critical current density–field performance (Jc(B)), with little change in the transition temperature of MgB2. An optimal enhancement of Jc(B) was achieved for 3.7 at.% graphene doped MgB2, by a factor of 30 at 5 K and 10 T, as compared to undoped MgB2. It is found that spatial fluctuation in Tc is responsible for the flux pinning mechanism of graphene doped MgB2. © 2010, Institute of Physics
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    Hidden amorphous phase and reentrant supercooled liquid in Pd-Ni-P metallic glasses
    (International Conference on Neutron Scattering, 2017-07-12) Lan, S; Ren, Y; Wei, X; Wang, B; Gilbert, EP; Shibayama, T; Watanabe, S; Ohnuma, M; Wang, XL
    An anomaly in differential scanning calorimetry has been reported in a number of metallic glass materials in which a broad exothermal peak was observed between the glass and crystallization temperatures. The mystery surrounding this calorimetric anomaly is epitomized by half century long studies of Pd-Ni-P metallic glasses, arguably the best glass-forming alloys [1]. Here we show,using a suite of in-situ experimental techniques, including simultaneous small-angle neutron scattering-calorimetry, high-energy X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy, that Pd-Ni-P alloys have a hidden amorphous phase in the supercooled liquid region. The anomalous exothermal peak is the consequence of a polyamorphous phase transition between two supercooled liquids, involving a change in the packing of atomic clusters over medium-range length scales as large as 18Å. With further temperature increase,the alloy reenters the supercooled liquid phase which forms the room-temperature glass phase upon quenching. The outcome of this study raises a possibility to manipulate the structure and hence the stability of metallic glasses through heat-treatment.
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    Hydrogen-driven switching of the magnetic surface anisotropy at the Co/Pd interface
    (American Physical Society, 2019-03-05) Causer, GL; Kostylev, M; Cortie, DL; Wang, XL; Klose, F
    Heterostructures exhibiting perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) have proven to be indispensable within the magnetic recording industry. By exploiting the hydrogen-induced modifications to PMA which occur exclusively at the ferromagnetic/Pd interface, an opportunity exists to expand the potential applications of PMA-based heterostructures into the realm of hydrogen sensing using ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) - an electron-spin based technology. Here, we present an interface-resolved in-operando study of a Co/Pd film which features tailorable PMA in the presence of hydrogen gas. We combine polarized neutron reflectometry with in-situ FMR to explore the nanoscopic interactions of hydrogen at the Co/Pd interface which affects the spin-resonance condition during hydrogen cycling. Key experimental data and theoretical modelling reveal that the interfacial PMA of the Co/Pd film suppresses non-reversibly upon primary exposure to hydrogen gas – highlighting a potential avenue for spintronics-based hydrogen sensing.
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    Intrinsic reduction of the ordered 4f magnetic moments in semiconducting rare-earth nitride thin films: DyN, ErN, and HoN
    (American Physical Society, 2014-02-26) Cortie, DL; Brown, JD; Brück, S; Saerbeck, T; Evans, JP; Fritzsche, H; Wang, XL; Downes, JE; Klose, F
    Polarized neutron reflectometry and x-ray reflectometry were used to determine the nanoscale magnetic and chemical depth profiles of the heavy rare-earth nitrides HoN, ErN, and DyN in the form of 15- to 40-nm-thick films. The net ferromagnetic components are much lower than the predictions of density-functional theory and Hund's rules for a simple ferromagnetic ground state in these 4f ionic materials, which points to the intrinsic contribution of crystal-field effects and noncollinear spin structures. The magnetic moment per rare-earth ion was determined as a function of temperature in the range 5–100 K at fields of 1–4 T. It is demonstrated that the films are stoichiometric within 1–3% and magnetically homogeneous on the nanometer scale.© 2014, American Physical Society.
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    Lamellae preparation for atomic-resolution STEM imaging from ion-beam-sensitive topological insulator crystals
    (AIP Publishing, 2022-04-06) Bake, A; Zhao, WY; Mitchell, DRG; Wang, XL; Nancarrow, M; Cortie, DL
    Good specimen quality is a key factor in achieving successful scanning transmission electron microscope analysis. Thin and damage-free specimens are prerequisites for obtaining atomic-resolution imaging. Topological insulator single crystals and thin films in the chalcogenide family such as Sb2Te3 are sensitive to electron and ion beams. It is, therefore, challenging to prepare a lamella suitable for high-resolution imaging from these topological insulator materials using standard focused ion-beam instruments. We have developed a modified method to fabricate thin focused ion-beam (FIB) lamellae with minimal ion-beam damage and artefacts. The technique described in the current study enables the reliable preparation of high-quality transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimens necessary for studying ultra-thin surface regions. We have successfully demonstrated that the careful selection of FIB milling parameters at each stage minimizes the damage layer without the need for post-treatment. © 2022 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by the AVS.
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    Large magnetoelectric coupling in magnetically short-range ordered Bi5Ti3FeO15 film
    (Nature Research, 2014-06-11) Zhao, HY; Kimura, H; Cheng, ZX; Osada, M; Wang, JL; Wang, XL; Dou, SX; Liu, Y; Yu, JD; Matsumoto, T; Tohei, T; Shibata, N; Ikuhara, Y
    Multiferroic materials, which offer the possibility of manipulating the magnetic state by an electric field or vice versa, are of great current interest. However, single-phase materials with such cross-coupling properties at room temperature exist rarely in nature; new design of nano-engineered thin films with a strong magneto-electric coupling is a fundamental challenge. Here we demonstrate a robust room-temperature magneto-electric coupling in a bismuth-layer-structured ferroelectric Bi5Ti3FeO15 with high ferroelectric Curie temperature of ~1000 K. Bi5Ti3FeO15 thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition are single-phase layered perovskit with nearly (00l)-orientation. Room-temperature multiferroic behavior is demonstrated by a large modulation in magneto-polarization and magneto-dielectric responses. Local structural characterizations by transmission electron microscopy and Mössbauer spectroscopy reveal the existence of Fe-rich nanodomains, which cause a short-range magnetic ordering at ~620 K. In Bi5Ti3FeO15 with a stable ferroelectric order, the spin canting of magnetic-ion-based nanodomains via the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction might yield a robust magneto-electric coupling of ~400 mV/Oe·cm even at room temperature. © 2020 Springer Nature Limited
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    Magnetic interface phenomena in nano-architectures and their applications
    (Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE), 2018-11-19) Causer, GL; Cortie, DL; Zhu, HL; Kostylev, M; Ionescu, M; Mankey, GJ; Wang, XL; Klose, F
    Interfaces between heterostructure components in nanoscale films play important roles in communicating low-dimensional phenomena and act as anchor points for the direct control and tunability of device performance. In this talk I will give an overview of our group’s recent investigations into the occurrence of magnetic interface phenomena in low-dimensional thin-film systems which have conceivable utility in future condensed-matter technologies. First, the magnetic interface quality of an FePt3 nano-magnet formed via ion-induced chemical disorder will be analysed [1]. Here, neutron and electron measurements used in combination with density functional theory calculations reveal a rather counterintuitive result which could prove beneficial towards the development of ultra-high density magnetic recording devices. In a second study, the layer-averaged static magnetisation and macroscopic magneto-dynamic behaviours of a Co/Pd bilayer during hydrogen-gas cycling are analysed. To perform this characterisation, we first had to develop and commission an original sample environment which innovatively combines polarised neutron reflectometry and microwave spectroscopy [2]. The Co/Pd interface is found to feature tailorable magnetic surface anisotropy in the presence of hydrogen gas – the mechanism of which could act as a safety switch in next-generation vehicles powered by hydrogen.
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    The magnetic interfacial properties of an exchange biased nanocrystalline Ni80Fe20/α-Fe2O3 bilayer studied by polarized neutron reflectometry and Monte Carlo simulation
    (Institute of Physics, 2019-11-22) Causer, GL; Cortie, DL; Callori, SJ; Manna, PK; van Lierop, J; Lee, YJ; Wang, XL; Lin, KW; Klose, K
    The strength of exchange bias can be influenced by interface roughness and antiferromagnetic morphology. Here, we studied the interface profile of an exchange biased, nanocrystalline Ni80Fe20/α-Fe2O3 bilayer. Magnetometry determined the bilayer's exchange bias is observed below a blocking temperature of 75 K. Polarized neutron reflectometry measurements revealed the Ni80Fe20 layer was fully saturated to yield a net-moment of 0.95 μB/atom, while the majority of the Fe2O3 layer exhibited zero net-magnetization with the exception of the interfacial region with an uncompensated moment between 0.5 and 1.0 μB/Fe2O3. Monte Carlo simulations of a ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic bilayer incorporating a granular antiferromagnet indicate that an extrinsic uncompensated moment of ∼1.0 μB/Fe2O3 can arise from grain boundary disorder. The size of the modeled moment is equivalent to the experimental value, and comparable with previous calculations. Furthermore, unlike intrinsic uncompensated spins, it is found that the disorder-induced moment in the granular antiferromagnet is not destroyed by interface roughness. © 2019 The Japan Society of Applied Physics