Magnetization reversal in micron-sized stripes of epitaxial (110) YFe2films

✍ Scribed by Wang, K. ;Martin, K. N. ;Morrison, C. G. ;Ward, R. C. C. ;Bowden, G. J. ;de Groot, P. A. J.

• Book ID: 105363863
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 545 KB
• Volume: 203
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0031-8965
• DOI: 10.1002/pssa.200622284

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Arrays of micron‐sized stripes of epitaxial (110) Laves phase YFe~2~ films have been fabricated using a UV laser direct write system and etching process. The magnetization reversal of the stripe arrays in the sample plane is investigated by magneto‐optical Kerr magnetometry. The measured MO Kerr hysteresis loops reveal that a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy can be induced in the materials by the shape of the stripes. The easy axis is found to be rigidly confined parallel to the length axis of the stripe and the hard axis is perpendicular to it. This is correlated with the induced uniaxial anisotropy which dominates the intrinsic four‐fold magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the cubic Laves phase structure. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)