Analysis of checkerboard pattern in ultrathin magnetic films

Abstract

We discuss the magnetostatic energy of checkerboard domain structures in ultrathin magnetic films (of a few monolayer thickness) and in an atomic monolayer using simple magnetostatic considerations where the easy direction of magnetization is perpendicular to the film. The checkerboard domain size, D, the domain-wall width, ω, the ratio f of the uniaxial surface anisotropy, K s, to the dipolar energy and the binding energy, (BE), have been calculated numerically with the variational parameter δ and the number of atomic layers, n l, as parameters.