Anisotropy-based mechanism for zigzag striped patterns in magnetic thin films

In this work, we studied a two-dimensional ferromagnetic system using Monte Carlo simulations. Our model includes exchange and dipolar interactions, a cubic anisotropy term, and uniaxial out-of-plane and in-plane ones. According to the set of parameters chosen, the model including uniaxial out-of-plane anisotropy has a ground state which consists of a canted state with stripes of opposite out-of-plane magnetization. When the cubic anisotropy is introduced, zigzag patterns appear in the stripes at fields close to the remanence. An analysis of the anisotropy terms of the model shows that this configuration is related to specific values of the ratio between the cubic and the effective uniaxial anisotropy. The mechanism behind this effect is related to particular features of the anisotropy's energy landscape since a global minima transition as a function of the applied field is required in the anisotropy terms. This mechanism for zigzag formation could be present in monocrystal ferromagnetic thin films in a given range of thicknesses.