The texture and surface/interface topological effects on the exchange fieldHexand coercivityHcin rf-sputtered NiO/NiFe bilayers were studied. The NiO/NiFe bilayers with NiO crystalline textures of (111), (200), and (220), and different surface/interface roughness, were fabricated by changing the sputtering conditions. TheHexof the NiO/NiFe bilayers was inversely proportional to the thickness of NiFe. The NiO/NiFe bilayers with different NiO textures of (111) dominant, (200) dominant, or combinations of (111), (200), and (220), respectively, showed almost the same dependence ofHexon NiFe thickness. Thus,Hexwas insensitive to the texture of NiO films. The surface/interface roughness has a significant effect onHcof the NiO/NiFe bilayers. By controlling the sputtering process, NiO (45 nm)/NiFe (10 nm) bilayers with aHexof 39 Oe, aHcof 4.1 Oe, and anHex/Hcratio of 9.51 could be obtained. A new parameter ofHex/Hcwas introduced to describe the exchange coupling and coercive properties in ferromagnet/antiferromagnet coupled bilayers. A largeHex/Hcratio is very desirable for spin-valve structures. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.