Magnetization reversal processes in submicron Co dots and antidots arrays

Arrays of submicron polycrystalline and epitaxially grown (1 0 0) hcp Co do ts and antidots were prepared in order to study the magnetization reversal processes influenced by well defined anisotropy, dipolar and exchange field s. The magnetization reversal processes for both polycrystalline and epitax ial Co dot arrays are found to be initiated by domain wall nucleation. The domain wall propagation is regulated by the evolution of the effective inte rnal field. The antidots exhibit perculiar stripe domains in the remanent s tate. the direction of the stripes is well determined by the applied magnet ic field direction. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.