Weak stripe domains in amorphous thin films: the role of the mu*-effect

We report experimental measurements and a micromagnetic model of amorphous thin films with an out-of-plane uniaxial anisotropy: K-N. There is a renewe d interest on this kind of films, having 0 much less than (Q) under tilde ( K-N / 2 piM(s)(2)) less than or equal to 1, because of its applications in magnetic devices: these films show characteristics hysteresis loops with a high remanent state (in our case: 0.8Ms at room temperature). Bulk measurem ents of the associated weak; stripe domains structure, when the temperature is changed between 375 K greater than or equal to T greater than or equal to 200 K, are presented. We have developed a 2-D model of the mu -effect: a tilting of the magnetization near the surface of the sample. 1-D models wh ich give a phenomenological treatment to the mu -effect are compared to our model and critically analyzed. Finally, we present transverse biased initi al susceptibility (TBIS) measurements: a simple and well-developed techniqu e used to quantify anisotropy fields. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.