Dynamic interaction between domain walls and nanowire vertices

The dynamic behavior of magnetic domain walls incident upon a Y-shaped junction between three nanowires is explored. Details in the micromagnetic structure of the domain wall and the local spin texture at a vertex result in a complex interaction which ultimately determines the propagation direction of the domain wall following the vertex. This interaction has been explored through both magneto-optical Kerr effect experiments and micromagnetic simulations on single-vertex structures. Differences in the micromagnetic structure of incident domain walls in the dynamic regime have a significant influence on the interaction. We observe an oscillatory path selection with increasing domain wall propagation distance preceding the vertex. Our analysis shows that this behavior originates from cyclic reversals of the transverse domain wall chirality due to Walker breakdown processes.