Expansion and Collapse of Domains With Reverse Magnetization in (Ga,Mn)As Epilayers With Perpendicular Magnetic Easy Axis

Author

Dourlat, A. ; Gourdon, C. ; Jeudy, V. ; Testelin, C. ; Khazen, K. ; Cantin, J.L. ; von Bardeleben, H.J. ; Thevenard, L. ; Lemaî, A.

Author_Institution

Inst. des Nanosci. de Paris, Univ. Paris Denis Diderot

Volume

43

Issue

6

fYear

2007

fDate

6/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

3022

Lastpage

3024

Abstract

The magnetic domain structure in a ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As epilayer with perpendicular magnetic easy-axis is investigated using high-resolution Kerr microscopy (KM). We show that, despite strong hysteresis, domain theory for thermodynamical equilibrium can be used to determine the ratio of the domain wall energy and the magnetic energy. Complementary magnetometry and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements are used to determine the domain wall energy and thickness and the exchange stiffness constant

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; Kerr magneto-optical effect; elastic constants; ferromagnetic materials; ferromagnetic resonance; gallium arsenide; magnetic domain walls; magnetic epitaxial layers; magnetic hysteresis; magnetisation reversal; manganese compounds; semiconductor epitaxial layers; semimagnetic semiconductors; (GaMn)As; domain wall energy; exchange stiffness constant; ferromagnetic epilayer; ferromagnetic resonance; high-resolution Kerr microscopy; magnetic domain structure; magnetic epilayers; magnetic hysteresis; magnetic semiconductors; magnetization reversal; magneto-optic Kerr effect; magnetometry; perpendicular magnetic easy axis; reverse magnetization; thermodynamical equilibrium; Magnetic anisotropy; Magnetic domain walls; Magnetic domains; Magnetic force microscopy; Magnetic hysteresis; Magnetic resonance; Magnetic semiconductors; Magnetization; Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; Superconducting magnets; Magnetic domains; magnetic semiconductors; magnetization reversal; magneto-optic Kerr effect;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TMAG.2007.893322

Filename

4202704