Crossover to striped magnetic domains in Fe 1− x Ga x magnetostrictive thin films

Abstract

We have studied the magnetic properties at room temperature of Fe1xGax (FeGa) epitaxial thin films grown on ZnSe/GaAs(100) for 0:14 x 0:29 range concentration, and film thicknesses, d ¼ 36 and 72 nm. The study was performed by means of magnetometric measurements and magnetic force microscopy scans. Increasing x promotes the loss of the four-fold magnetic-crystalline anisotropy associated to an Fe-like behavior, which is lost completely above x ¼ 0.20. Stripe domains with rotatable anisotropy are observed even in samples in which the theoretical conditions for stripe appearance are not completely fulfilled. An unexpected “saw-tooth” stripe structure has been found under certain conditions.