Alternating domains with uniaxial and biaxial magnetic anisotropy in epitaxial Fe films on BaTiO3

TL;DR

This study investigates how epitaxial Fe films on BaTiO3 substrates develop complex magnetic domain patterns due to combined uniaxial and biaxial anisotropies, revealing the influence of substrate domain structure on magnetic behavior.

Contribution

It demonstrates the imprinting of ferroelectric domain patterns into magnetic anisotropy in Fe films, highlighting the interplay of magnetoelastic effects and domain interactions.

Findings

Fe films show biaxial anisotropy on c domains

Uniaxial anisotropy is induced on a domains by lattice elongation

Magnetic domain patterns are strongly influenced by substrate domain structure

Abstract

We report on domain formation and magnetization reversal in epitaxial Fe films on ferroelectric BaTiO3 substrates with ferroelastic a-c stripe domains. The Fe films exhibit biaxial magnetic anisotropy on top of c domains with out-of-plane polarization, whereas the in-plane lattice elongation of a domains induces uniaxial magnetoelastic anisotropy via inverse magnetostriction. The strong modulation of magnetic anisotropy symmetry results in full imprinting of the a-c domain pattern in the Fe films. Exchange and magnetostatic interactions between neighboring magnetic stripes further influence magnetization reversal and pattern formation within the a and c domains.