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Asymmetrical Domain Nucleation and Unusual Magnetization Reversal of Ultrathin Co Films and Co/Pt Multilayers With Perpendicular Anisotropy

Published

Author(s)

Yu L. Iunin, Yury P. Kabanov, Valerian I. Nikitenko, X M. Cheng, Alexander J. Shapiro, Robert D. Shull, C L. Chien

Abstract

The features of magnetization reversal in Pt/[CO/Pt]_n}/Pt multilayers (n = 1, 2, 4) have been studied using magneto-optical Kerr microscopy. Asymmetric nucleation centers were revealed where domains form at different positions for up or down magnetic field H. the influence of the magnitude of the saturation field on the activity of these centers has also been studied. Domain walls nucleated at 'asymmetric' centers in single Co films have different velocities for the forward and backward motions. The asymmetry of domain wall velocity decreases and vanishes at some critical value with increasing magnetic field. In [Co(4 nm)/Pt]_4} the bubble domains do not decrease their size with magnetic field inversion. Kerr microscopy reveals only the evolution of a labyrinth structure within the domains.
Citation
Applied Physics Letters

Citation

Iunin, Y. , Kabanov, Y. , Nikitenko, V. , Cheng, X. , Shapiro, A. , Shull, R. and Chien, C. (2007), Asymmetrical Domain Nucleation and Unusual Magnetization Reversal of Ultrathin Co Films and Co/Pt Multilayers With Perpendicular Anisotropy, Applied Physics Letters, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=853486 (Accessed April 25, 2024)
Created March 15, 2007, Updated October 12, 2021