  Second harmonic generation magneto-optic Kerr effect (SHMOKE) experiments,
sensitive to buried interfaces, were performed on a polycrystalline NiFe/FeMn
bilayer in which areas with different exchange bias fields were prepared using
5 KeV He ion irradiation. Both reversible and irreversible uncompensated spins
are found in the antiferromagnetic layer close to the interface with the
ferromagnetic layer. The SHMOKE hysteresis loop shows the same exchange bias
field as obtained from standard magnetometry. We demonstrate that the exchange
bias effect is controlled by pinned uncompensated spins in the
antiferromagnetic layer.
