Observation of laser-induced local modification of magnetic order in transition metal layers

Laser-induced local modifications of magnetic order in thin Fe-Cr layers we re investigated. Local modification in the layers were induced by interferi ng laser beams. The results of the study give evidence for the formation of submicron-sized anisotropically shaped ferromagnetic regions with a well-d efined direction of the easy magnetic axis in the interference maxima at th e modification threshold. It was also found that the magnetic anisotropy of a medium is drastically reduced with changing the shapes of these local re gions and distances between them. This may be due to the strengthening of t he interaction between the regions through the paramagnetic matrix. (C) 200 1 MAIK "Nauka/ Interperiodica".