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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Nanoscale domain-wall dynamics in micromagnetic structures with weak perpendicular anisotropy

Tim A. Butcher1,2,*, Nicholas W. Phillips1,3, Abraham L. Levitan1, Markus Weigand4, Sebastian Wintz4, Jörg Raabe1, and Simone Finizio1

  • *Contact author: tim.butcher@psi.ch
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Phys. Rev. B 111, L220409 – Published 16 June, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/2y4r-my27

Abstract

Time-resolved pump-probe soft x-ray ptychography and scanning transmission x-ray microscopy were employed to study the magnetic domain-wall dynamics in microstructures of permalloy (Ni81Fe19; Py) with a weak growth-induced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The x-ray magnetic circular dichroism images of a micrometer-sized Py square (160 nm thickness) and an elliptical disk (80 nm thickness) show flux-closure patterns with domain walls that fall into alternating out-of-plane (OOP) magnetization states precipitated by the perpendicular anisotropy, which is a precursor of the nucleation of stripe domains at higher thicknesses. An oscillating magnetic field at frequencies from tens of MHz to GHz and up to 4 mT magnitude excited dynamic modes in the domain walls along with the vortex core gyration. The domain-wall dynamics include the translation of inversion points of the OOP magnetization and nucleation of one-dimensional spin waves.

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Phys. Rev. B 111, L220409– Published 16 June, 2025
  • Received 25 March 2025
  • Revised 21 May 2025
  • Accepted 2 June 2025
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