Domain structures in epitaxial (10(1)over-bar-0) Co wires

A systematic investigation of the magnetic domain structure is presented fo r epitaxial sub-micron (10 (1) over bar0) Co wires characterized by a stron g in-plane uniaxial magneto-crystalline anisotropy whose easy axis is orien ted perpendicular to the long wire axis. Wires of varying width (100 to 100 0 nm) and thickness (30 to 80 mn) were patterned by electron beam lithograp hy and lift-off process. We establish experimentally the boundaries between the ground state transverse single domain state and the open stripe struct ure as a function of wire thickness and width. Moreover, the stability of t he transverse single domain state is investigated as a function of the magn etization history.