Observation of a domain drag effect in amorphous GdCoMo films

We report the propagation of magnetic domains in bias-sputtered GdCoMo amorphous films by the domain drag effect. Current was pulsed directly through GdCoMo films which contained stripe domains or an hexagonal array of bubbles or "bubble raft". In both cases, once the current density exceeded a threshold value associated with coercivity, the domains were set in motion at a velocity proportional to current pulse length and density. All experimental observations are consistent with a domain drag effect previously predicted. Characteristic velocities of 2.5 × 10^-5cm³/sec-amp per current density were found in films with 1 μm bubbles, in order of magnitude agreement with theory. To our knowledge, this is the first direct experimental demonstration of the theoretically proposed domain drag effect.