Domain Wall Shape Research Articles

The change of the domain wall shape under the ion beam irradiation in lithium niobate

The change of the domain wall shape under the ion beam irradiation in lithium niobate

Boosting domain wall velocity and stability in ferrimagnetic GdFe nanowires by applying laser-annealing process

This study highlights the significant achievement of enhancing domain wall (DW) velocity through the laser-annealing (LA) process in GdxFe100−x films, with a specific focus on the Gd26Fe74 composition. By investigating the current-induced DW motion, it was observed that the LA process on the edges and middle of the nanowires resulted in a remarkable improvement in DW velocity from around 600 m/s for non-laser-annealed to 1800 m/s for laser-annealed conditions. Furthermore, we conducted additional experiments to explore the stability and dynamics of a system involving DWs in a single wire. The experimental results revealed a stable and uniform movement of the DWs, as evidenced by a velocity of approximately 1800 m/s, even after the application of 20 pulses with a short pulse width of 1 ns. The resulting stability of the DW motion across a wide range of applied currents demonstrates the practical significance of the LA in achieving high-performance racetrack memories. Our findings suggest that the LA process has a similar effect on both the middle and edge treatments of the wire. This indicates that structural defects on the wire's edges are not the main cause of the observed low velocity or curvy shape of DWs. One possible mechanism for this effect is the reduction of the Ku value through the LA process. This study establishes a ground-breaking advancement by showcasing the effectiveness of the LA in enhancing DW motion velocity in GdFe ferrimagnetic thin films, thereby opening avenues for future research and industrial applications in this field.

Shape of charged domain walls in bidomain lithium tantalate plates with composition gradients

Lithium tantalate LiTaO3 (LT) plates with various composition gradient along the polar axis were produced by partial vapor transport equilibration (VTE) with annealing temperature above phase transition. The proper annealing parameters allow creating a charged domain wall (CDW) in the center of the plate. The CDW morphology depends on the spatial distribution of stoichiometry deviation. The bidomain actuators manufactured from the LT plates after partial VTE procedure possess a linear voltage dependence of the displacement of the free end without any hysteresis. It is shown that increase in CDW roughness leads to a noticeable decrease in the effective piezoelectric coefficient.

Chirality-induced zigzag domain wall in in-plane magnetized ultrathin films

The domain structure in in-plane magnetized Fe/Ni/W(110) films is investigated using spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy. A novel transition of the domain wall shape from a zigzaglike pattern to straight is observed as a function of the film thickness, which is triggered by the transition of the domain wall type from the out-of-plane chiral wall to the in-plane Néel wall. The contribution of the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction to the wall energy is proposed to explain the transition of the domain wall shape, which is supported by Monte Carlo simulations.

Local distortions of surface domain walls in cylindrical microwires observed by magneto-optics

Domain wall dynamics in highly magnetostrictive microwires is remarkably sensitive to thermal treatment. One of the reasons is a partial release of the internal stresses that originate during the production process. Another reason is an interaction of the domain wall with local pinning sites, such as surface inhomogeneities, free volumes, or clusters of ferromagnetic atoms, present in as-cast microwires. However, the observation of domain wall shape variations after thermal treatment or following an interaction with a pinning site is challenging. In this paper, we utilize the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) to locally map the domain wall shape and velocity in cylindrical microwires. The domain wall is trapped in a magnetic potential well, moving back and forth with limited speed. Two complementary techniques are employed in the study: a laser-based setup and time-resolved MOKE microscopy. Different kinds of domain wall propagation are observed. While a planar domain wall propagates synchronously with the potential well, surface pinning gives rise to local jumps and distortions of the domain wall. We relate the first kind of motion to the pinning-free propagation of the domain wall and the second to the propagation of a distorted wall. Finally, local speed and the shapes of the domain wall before and after the introduction of an artificial pinning site are compared.

Contribution to the study of the domain wall shape in bistable microwires

Magnetic domain wall in bistable glass-coated microwires is subject of the study in this paper. The domain wall between axial domains in these microwires is not a standard 180° domain wall. It is the source of a stray field, so the shape of the induced signal due to the domain wall passing through the pick-up coil is influenced by the domain wall geometry as well as by the presence of the stray field accompanying the moving wall. The present work considers the possibility of the moving domain wall having a stable conical-like shape with the apex pointing ahead. Based on this configuration, the signal induced in the pick-up coil is modelled. It is shown that the shape of the obtained model signal can explain the typical signals observed in experiments.

Formation of submicron stripe domain ensembles during polarization reversal in Rb doped KTP crystal covered by dielectric layer

The formation of self-organized quasi-regular domain structure in Rb:KTP crystals covered by photoresist layer was studied. The instability of domain wall shape resulting in formation of domain streamers on the wall was revealed. The streamers structure appeared on Z+ polar surface and grew in polar direction. The minimal obtained structure period was 1 µm and the structure length reached 50 μm. The width of the stripe domains between the neighboring streamers went down to 100 nm and the resulting aspect ratio was 500. The obtained effect is very promising for the submicron periodical poling in the crystals of KTP family.

Review of Domain Wall Dynamics Engineering in Magnetic Microwires.

The influence of magnetic anisotropy, post-processing conditions, and defects on the domain wall (DW) dynamics of amorphous and nanocrystalline Fe-, Ni-, and Co-rich microwires with spontaneous and annealing-induced magnetic bistability has been thoroughly analyzed, with an emphasis placed on the influence of magnetoelastic, induced and magnetocrystalline anisotropies. Minimizing magnetoelastic anisotropy, either by the selection of a chemical composition with a low magnetostriction coefficient or by heat treatment, is an appropriate route for DW dynamics optimization in magnetic microwires. Stress-annealing allows further improvement of DW velocity and hence is a promising method for optimization of DW dynamics in magnetic microwires. The origin of current-driven DW propagation in annealing-induced magnetic bistability is attributed to magnetostatic interaction of outer domain shell with transverse magnetization orientation and inner axially magnetized core. The beneficial influence of the stress-annealing on DW dynamics has been explained considering that it allows increasing of the volume of outer domain shell with transverse magnetization orientation at the expense of decreasing the radius of inner axially magnetized core. Such transverse magnetic anisotropy can similarly affect the DW dynamics as the applied transverse magnetic field and hence is beneficial for DW dynamics optimization. Stress-annealing allows designing the magnetic anisotropy distribution more favorable for the DW dynamics improvement. Results on DW dynamics in various families of nanocrystalline microwires are provided. The role of saturation magnetization on DW mobility improvement is discussed. The DW shape, its correlation with the magnetic anisotropy constant and the microwire diameter, as well as manipulation of the DW shape by induced magnetic anisotropy are discussed. The engineering of DW propagation through local stress-annealing and DW collision is demonstrated.

Tuning domain wall dynamics by shaping nanowires cross-sections

The understanding of the domain wall (DW) dynamics along magnetic nanowires is crucial for spintronic applications. In this work, we perform a detailed analysis of the transverse DW motion along nanowires with polygonal cross-sections. If the DW displaces under a magnetic field above the Walker limit, the oscillatory motion of the DW is observed. The amplitude, the frequency of oscillations, and the DW velocity depend on the number of sides of the nanowire cross-section, being the DW velocity in a wire with a triangular cross-section one order of magnitude larger than that in a circular nanowire. The decrease in the nanowire cross-section area yields a DW behavior similar to the one presented in a cylindrical nanowire, which is explained using an analytical model based on the general kinetic momentum theorem. Micromagnetic simulations reveal that the oscillatory behavior of the DW comes from energy changes due to deformations of the DW shape during the rotation around the nanowire.

Correlation between size, shape and magnetic anisotropy of CoFe2O4 ferrite nanoparticles

The present work reports the effect of particle size and shape of CoFe2O4 (CFO) nanoparticles on magnetic properties and their use in device applications as permanent magnets at room temperature. A set of CFO samples with different particle sizes and shapes were synthesized via the polymeric method by sintering at temperatures ranging from 300 °C to 1200 °C. These materials were characterized structurally by x-ray diffraction, morphologically by scanning electron microscopy, and microstructurally by transmission electron microscopy. The morphology of these CFO samples shows size-dependent shapes like spherical, pyramidal, lamellar, octahedral and truncated octahedral shapes for the particle sizes ranging from 7 to 780 nm with increasing sintering temperature. The emergence of magnetic properties was investigated as a function of particle size and shape with a special emphasis on permanent magnet applications at low and room temperatures. The values of saturation and remanent magnetization were found to increase monotonously with a particle size up to 40 nm and from thereafter they were found to remain almost constant. The other magnetic parameters such as coercivity, squareness ratio, anisotropy constant and maximum energy product () were observed to increase up to 40 nm and then decreased thereafter as a function of particle size. The underlying mechanism responsible for the observed behavior of the magnetic parameters as a function of particle size was discussed in the light of coherent rotation, domain wall motion and shape induced demagnetization effects. The significant values of - the figure of merit of permanent magnets - observed for single domain particles (particularly, 14 nm and 21 nm) were found to have suitability in permanent magnetic technology.

The role of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy distribution on domain wall tilting in amorphous glass-coated microwires

Magnetic properties of highly magnetostrictive amorphous glass-coated microwires are strongly correlated to the presence of a glass coating that introduces a spatially inhomogeneous stress field distribution. We investigate the influence of mechanical stresses on the inclination of magnetic domain walls in magnetic microwires. Magneto-optical Kerr effect imaging is used to compare the tilted orientation of the domain wall shape in as-cast and annealed microwires. Angular dependencies of magnetization loops measured by alternating gradient field magnetometry reveal that the change of domain wall tilting with annealing is related to the decrease of magnetic anisotropy with axial orientation. Finally, micromagnetic simulations are used to show that sufficiently high uniaxial magnetic anisotropy gives rise to the presence of observed charged domain walls with tilted orientation.

Manipulation of Domain Wall Shape in Thin Magnetic Wire by Current Annealing

Manipulation of Domain Wall Shape in Thin Magnetic Wire by Current Annealing

Self-assembled shape evolution of the domain wall and formation of nanodomain wall traces induced by multiple IR laser pulse irradiation in lithium niobate

The formation of the domain structure in congruent lithium niobate crystals by multiple pulse irradiation using an infrared laser was studied experimentally. The qualitative change of the domain wall shape with an increase of the pulse number was revealed. The chains of isolated nanodomains representing the domain wall traces appeared after each laser pulse irradiation in the samples with an irradiated polar surface covered by an indium–tin oxide layer. This effect allowed extraction of the detailed information about the evolution of the domain wall shape. The domain kinetics under the action of the pyroelectric field has been considered. The mechanism of the self-assembled shape evolution of the moving domain wall as a result of the local wall accelerations and retardations caused by the shape fluctuations (bumps and valleys) was proposed. The experimentally observed formation of the quasi-regular comb-like domain structures with randomly distributed bumps and valleys was confirmed by computer simulation. The discovered effects allowed us to create the stable random and quasi-regular domain structures and open the way for further development of the domain engineering methods.

Experimental method for surface domain wall shape studies in thin magnetic cylinders

Abstract Thin magnetic cylinders are in focus of interest due to peculiar features of domain wall motion like absence of the Walker breakdown. Here, we propose an experimental technique based on magneto-optical Kerr effect that allows surface studies of a domain wall shape in thin microwires. Our setup is optimized for characteristic optical and magneto-optical features of thin magnetic cylinders. Time-resolved measurements of a magnetic contrast along the circumference of wire are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional image of a surface domain wall shape. Our measurements confirmed a tilted shape of domain wall, in agreement with previous observations of microwires with positive magnetostriction alloy. The experimental technique represents a new way for direct visualizations of a surface magnetism of thin cylinders in optical range.

Analysis of Switching Current Data during Polarization Reversal in KTP Single Crystals with Surface Dielectric Layer

Studies of polarization reversal processes in potassium titanyl phosphate (KTiOPO4, KTP) single crystals with surface dielectric layer are important due to their potential applications as the basis of bottom-up technology for creation of periodically poled nonlinear-optical crystals. We present the results of switching currents analysis accompanied by in situ visualization of domain kinetics during polarization reversal in KTP with 3 m-thick photoresist dielectric layer. Qualitative change of the switching current shape has been revealed as compared to the polarization reversal without surface dielectric layer. Two stages of domain structure evolution have been distinguished by in situ visualization of domain kinetics. The formation of submicron domain streamers in front of the moving domain walls has been revealed. The broadening of the domain streamers (1D domain growth) was observed at the second stage. The switching currents were approximated by the modified Kolmogorov-Avrami formula taking into account the change of the growth dimensionality (“geometrical catastrophe”). The sufficient input of the 1D growth to the switching process decreased with increase of the switching field. The obtained results were attributed to the domain wall shape instability induced by retardation of the depolarization field screening in ferroelectric with surface dielectric layer.

Domain wall shape instability in congruent lithium tantalate during switching by ion beam

ABSTRACTThe formation of domain arrays and domain wall shape instability induced by ion beam irradiation have been studied in congruent lithium tantalate crystal covered by dielectric layer. The dependences of domain radii on exposure dose and array period were obtained. The domain wall shape instability effect (appearance of periodical oriented fingers) for doses above 20 pC was revealed. It was shown that dose increase led to increase of total length of the domain wall with fingers, while the finger number remained approximately constant. The observed results were explained by the kinetic approach based on analogy with first order phase transitions.

Domain shape instabilities and dendrite domain growth in uniaxial ferroelectrics.

The effects of domain wall shape instabilities and the formation of nanodomains in front of moving walls obtained in various uniaxial ferroelectrics are discussed. Special attention is paid to the formation of self-assembled nanoscale and dendrite domain structures under highly non-equilibrium switching conditions. All obtained results are considered in the framework of the unified kinetic approach to domain structure evolution based on the analogy with first-order phase transformation.This article is part of the theme issue 'From atomistic interfaces to dendritic patterns'.

Shape of magnetic domain walls formed by coupling to mobile charges

Magnetic domain walls, which are crucially important in both fundamental physics and technical applications, often have a preference in their form due to many different origins, such as the crystalline shape, lattice symmetry, and magnetic anisotropy. We theoretically investigate yet another origin stemming from the coupling to mobile charges in itinerant magnets. Performing a large-scale numerical simulation in a minimal model for itinerant magnets, i.e., the Kondo lattice model with classical localized spins, we show that the shape of magnetic domain walls depends on the electronic band structure and electron filling. While Neel and 120 antiferromagnetic states do not show a strong preference in the shape of domain walls, noncoplanar spin states with scalar chiral ordering have distinct directional preferences of the domain walls depending on the electron filling. We find that the directional preference is rationalized by the wave-number dependence of the effective magnetic interactions induced by the mobile charges, which are set by the band structure and electron filling. We also observe that, in the noncoplanar chiral states, an electric current is induced along the domain walls owing to the spin Berry phase mechanism, with very different spatial distributions depending on whether the bulk state is metallic or insulating.

Formation of self-assembled micro- and nano-domain structures in uniaxial ferroelectrics

We present the experimental study of appearance of domain wall shape instabilities and self-assembled domain structures in uniaxial ferroelectrics lithium niobate and lithium tantalate covered by artificial dielectric layer. The domain structure evolution has been considered as a manifestation of nucleation processes similar to the first order phase transformation. The necessary conditions for formation of self-assembled domain structures including the highly non-equilibrium switching conditions and stability of concave angles were proposed. The formation of the self-assembled domain shape instabilities under application of the uniform external electric field during switching (domain growth) and backswitching (domain shrinkage) has been studied experimentally with these conditions fulfilled. The formation of the bumps at the vortexes of hexagon domain for diameter above 3 - 5 μm with subsequent oriented growth was obtained in stoichiometric lithium tantalate. The formation of quasi-regular fish-bone domain structure has been revealed during spontaneous backswitching in Mg doped lithium niobate. The resulted structure consisted of the narrow residual domains with width from 200 to 500 nm appeared as a result of finger growth to the center of hexagon domain. The obtained decreasing of the number of the residual domains during growth has been attributed to strong electrostatic interaction of domain walls.

The profile of the domain walls in amorphous glass-covered microwires

We have studied the domain wall dynamics in Joule-annealed amorphous glass-covered microwires with positive magnetostriction in the presence of an electric current, in order to evaluate the profile and shape of the moving domain wall. Such microwires are known to present magnetic bi-stability when axially magnetized. The single domain wall dynamics was evaluated under different conditions, under an axially applied stress and an electric current. We have observed the well known increasing of the domain wall damping with the applied stress due to the increase in the magnetoelastic anisotropy and, when the current is applied, depending on the current intensity and direction, a modification on the axial domain wall damping. When the orthogonal motion of the domain wall is considered, we have observed that the associated velocity present a smaller dependence on the applied current intensity. It was observed a modification on both the domain wall shape and length. In a general way, the domain wall evolves from a bell shape to a parabolic shape as the current intensity is increased. The results were explained in terms of the change in the magnetic energy promoted by the additional Oersted field.