Magnetic stripe domain pinning and reduction of in plane magnet order due to periodic defects in thin magnetic films

TL;DR

This study uses Monte Carlo simulations to investigate how periodic defects in thin magnetic films influence stripe domain pinning and in-plane magnetic order, revealing defect-induced stabilization and disruption of magnetic phases.

Contribution

It introduces a novel simulation approach to analyze the effects of periodic defects on magnetic domain structures and phase transitions in thin films.

Findings

Defects stabilize stripe orientation at low temperatures.

Defects promote perpendicular spin alignment above reorientation temperature.

Defects reduce in-plane correlations and spontaneous magnetization.

Abstract

In thin magnetic films with strong perpendicular anisotropy and strong demagnetizing field two ordered phases are possible. At low temperatures, perpendicularly oriented magnetic domains form a striped pattern. As temperature is increased the system can undergo a spin reorientation transition into a state with in-plane magnetization. Here we present Monte Carlo simulations of such a magnetic film containing a periodic array of non-magnetic defects. We find that the presence of defects stabilizes parallel orientation of stripes against thermal fluctuations at low temperatures. Above the spin reorientation temperature we find that defects favor perpendicular spin alignment and disrupt long range ordering of spin components parallel to the sample. This increases cone angle and reduces in plane correlations, leading to a reduction in the spontaneous magnetization.