Stripe domains reorientation in ferromagnetic films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

Abstract Ferromagnetic thin films with moderate perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) are known to support weak stripe domains provided film thickness exceeds a critical value. In this work, we performed both an experimental and theoretical investigation of a peculiar phenomenon shown by weak stripe domains: namely, the stripe domains reorientation when a dc magnetic field is applied in the film plane along the direction perpendicular to the stripes axis. We focus on bct α′-Fe₈N_1−x thin films obtained by {N}₂⁺ implantation of α-Fe films epitaxially grown on ZnSe/GaAs(001). By using different ion implantation and heat treatment conditions, we show that it is possible to tune the PMA values. Magnetic force microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer measurements prove the existence of weak stripe domains at remanence, and of a threshold field for the reorientation of the stripes axis in a transversal field. Using a one-dimensional model of the magnetic stripe domains, where the essential parameter is the maximum canting angle of the stripe magnetization out of the film plane, the various contributions to the magnetic energy can be separately calculated. A linear increase of the reorientation threshold field on the PMA is obtained, in qualitative agreement with experimental data in our Fe–N films, as well as in other thin films with weak stripe domains. Finally, we find that also the rotatable anisotropy field linearly increases as a function of the PMA magnitude.