Transitions between intra-wall structures in Permalloy thin film

Magnetization structures of the two-dimensional 180° domain walls in Permalloy thin films are studied by numerical micromagnetic simulation. It is found that, in a film with a thickness between 300 and 500 Å, both the LaBonte and the Neel wall structures are energetically stable. Transitions between the two stable wall structures are studied by applying a square pulse field in the film plane and perpendicular to the wall. It is found that the transition from the LaBonte wall structure to the Neel wall structure essentially depends on the area of the field pulse. The results also show that a significant domain wall displacement is associated with the transition from the LaBonte wall structure to the Neel wall structure. It is argued that the transitions between the wall structures could change the local pinning environment and cause unexpected wall motion