Magnetic stripes and holes: Complex domain patterns in perforated films with weak perpendicular anisotropy
F. Valdés-Bango,
M. Vélez,
L. M. Alvarez-Prado,
J. M. Alameda,
J. I. Martín
Affiliations
F. Valdés-Bango
Dpto. Física, Universidad de Oviedo, 33007 Oviedo, Spain and Centro de Investigación en Nanomateriales y Nanotecnología-CINN (CSIC-Universidad de Oviedo), 33940 El Entrego, Spain
M. Vélez
Dpto. Física, Universidad de Oviedo, 33007 Oviedo, Spain and Centro de Investigación en Nanomateriales y Nanotecnología-CINN (CSIC-Universidad de Oviedo), 33940 El Entrego, Spain
L. M. Alvarez-Prado
Dpto. Física, Universidad de Oviedo, 33007 Oviedo, Spain and Centro de Investigación en Nanomateriales y Nanotecnología-CINN (CSIC-Universidad de Oviedo), 33940 El Entrego, Spain
J. M. Alameda
Dpto. Física, Universidad de Oviedo, 33007 Oviedo, Spain and Centro de Investigación en Nanomateriales y Nanotecnología-CINN (CSIC-Universidad de Oviedo), 33940 El Entrego, Spain
J. I. Martín
Dpto. Física, Universidad de Oviedo, 33007 Oviedo, Spain and Centro de Investigación en Nanomateriales y Nanotecnología-CINN (CSIC-Universidad de Oviedo), 33940 El Entrego, Spain
Hexagonal antidot arrays have been patterned on weak perpendicular magnetic anisotropy NdCo films by e-beam lithography and lift off. Domain structure has been characterized by Magnetic Force Microscopy at remanence. On a local length scale, of the order of stripe pattern period, domain configuration is controlled by edge effects within the stripe pattern: stripe domains meet the hole boundary at either perpendicular or parallel orientation. On a longer length scale, in-plane magnetostatic effects dominate the system: clear superdomains are observed in the patterned film with average in-plane magnetization along the easy directions of the antidot array, correlated over several antidot array cells.
