High resolution measurement and modelling of magnetic domain structures inepitaxial FePd (001) L1(0) films with perpendicular magnetisation

Magnetic domain structures in two 50 nm thick chemically-ordered FePd (001) epitaxial films with different perpendicular anisotropies have been studie d using Lorentz microscopy. Domain and domain wall structures vary signific antly according to the magnitude of the anisotropy. For lower anisotropy fi lms, a stripe domain structure with a period of approximate to 100 nm is fo rmed in which there is a near-continuous variation in orientation of the ma gnetisation vector. By contrast, in the film with higher anisotropy, a maze -like domain structure is supported. The magnetisation within domains is pe rpendicular to the film plane and adjacent domains are separated by narrow walls, less than 20 nm wide. Micromagnetic modelling is generally in good q uantitative agreement with experimental observations and provides additiona l information on the domain wall structure. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.