The Synchrotron-based X-Ray Absorption Near-edge Spectroscopy (XANES) and Polarized Neutron Reflectivity (PNR) techniques were employed to investigate the structural properties of BiFe1-xMnxO3 ceramic and Co/CoO/Au multilayer, especially to study the local structure of Mn in BiFe1-xMnxO3 ceramic and to verify the formation of secondary phase in Co/CoO/Au multilayer. Theoretical XANES spectra calculations corroborate with the interpretation of the XANES experimental data. In addition, the Co/CoO/Au multilayer was examined to explore the degree of recovery of the untrained state after the first two field cycles. Such a recovery was expected by field cycling a reorientation field along a direction of orientation angle away from the initial field cooling direction. Measurements as a function of and the strength of (along each direction) map the influence of on the reversal mechanism in the layers and thereby the degree of recovery.