Research on Stripe Domain Structures in Ferromagnetic Metal Films

摘要

An experimental and theoretical investigation of ferromagnetic thin films, demonstrating anaomalous stripe domains, has been conducted. The origin of the stripe domains is attributed to the existance of a uniaxial anisotropy perpendicular to the plane of the film which developes from a planar stress system and a vapor beam angle of incidence pile-up structure both relatable to fabrication procedures. The strip domain configuration is a planar 180 degree alternating direction of magnetization pattern with 180 degree Bloch transition walls. It is shown that the existence of a spin-wave type stripe domain system requires (1) a perpendicular anisotropy larger than the planar shape anisotropy or (2) an effective planar demagnetizing field through small sample size in addition to a perpendicular anistropy less than the planar shape anisotropy. (Author)