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.
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