Domain configuration in perpendicularly magnetized atomically thin iron particles

Abstract The magnetic domain pattern of perpendicularly magnetized ultra-thin Fe particles grown on Cu(0 0 1) is imaged with scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis. Below a critical size as large as 4 μm and of the order of the domain width the particles are found to become single domain. Changes in temperature or particle thickness influence the domain width and therefore the critical size.