Fast magnetization switching in Fe-rich amorphous microwires: Effect of magnetoelastic anisotropy and role of defects

We studied effect of magnetoelastic anisotropy and role of defects on domain wall (DW) dynamics and remagnetization process of magnetically-bistable Fe-rich microwires. We manipulated the magnetoelastic anisotropy applying the tensile stresses. Application of stresses resulted in decrease of the DW velocity nu, and DW mobility S. Consequently, we observed certain correlation between the magnetoelastic energy and DW dynamics in microwires: decreasing the magnetoelastic energy, K-me, DW velocity can be increased. We are trying to reveal contribution of local defects on DW propagation in amorphous microwires. Below some critical magnetic field, H-n, determined by the microwires inhomogeneities, almost linear DW velocity, nu on magnetic field, H, dependence is found. When the applied magnetic field exceeds H-n, new reverse domains can be nucleated and consequently tandem remagnetization mechanism can be realized. The role of defects existing in magnetically bistable microwires is related with nucleation of new reversed domains. Abrupt jumps on nu(H) dependences correlate with defects existing in microwires. Magnetic field value, corresponding to such jump on nu(H) dependences, correlates with the minimum nucleation field, which determines threshold between single and multiple domain wall propagation regimes. In the latter case, under the action of the magnetic field, a new domain can be spontaneously nucleated in front of the propagating head-to-head closure domain. In this way real structure of microwires limits single DW propagation regime. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.