• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2007

The spin transfer torque generated by a spin-polarized current can induce the shift of the magnetic domain-wall position. In this work, we study theoretically the current-induced domain-wall motion by using the collective coordinate approach [Gen Tatara and Hiroshi Kohno, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 86601 (2004)]. The approach is extended to include not only the domain-wall position and the polarization angle changes but also the domain-wall width variation. It is demonstrated that the width variation affects the critical current.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.312-316
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• 2016

The energetics of defects in the presence of domain walls in $LiNbO_3$ are characterized using density-functional theory calculations. Domain walls show stronger interactions with antisite defects than with interstitial defects or vacancies. As a result, antisite defects act as a strong pinning center for the domain wall in $LiNbO_3$. Analysis of migration behavior of the antisite defects across the domain wall shows that the migration barrier of the antisite defects is significantly high, such that the migration of antisite defects across the domain wall is energetically not preferable. However, further study on excess electrons shows that the migration barrier of antisite defects can be lowered by changing the charge states of the antisite defects. So, excess electrons can enhance the migration of antisite defects and thus facilitate domain wall movement by weakening the pinning effect.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.546-550
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• 2017

Ferroelectric properties are governed by domain structures and domain wall motions, so it is of significance to understand domain evolution processes under mechanical stress. In the present study, in situ piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) observation under compressive stress was carried out for a near-morphotropic PZT. Both $180^{\circ}$ and $non-180^{\circ}$ domain structures were observed from PFM images, and their habit planes were identified using electron backscatter diffraction in conjunction with PFM data. By externally applied mechanical stress, needle-like $non-180^{\circ}$ domain patterns were broadened via domain wall motions. This was interpreted via phenomenological approach such that the total energy minimization can be achieved by domain wall motion rather than domain nucleation mainly due to the local gradient energy. Meanwhile, no motion was observed from curvy $180^{\circ}$ domain walls under the mechanical stress, validating that $180^{\circ}$ domain walls are not directly influenced by mechanical stress.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.128-129
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• 2018

Soft ferromagnetic materials are utilized for various electromagnetic devices such as magnetic recording heads and magnetic shielding. In situ observation of magnetic microstructures and domain wall motions are prerequisite for understanding and improving their magnetic properties. In this work, by the Fresnel (out-of-focus) method of Lorentz microscopy, we observe the domain wall motions of polycrystalline Ni/Ti thin film layers triggered by single-shot laser pulse. Random motions of domain walls were visualized at every single pulse.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2009

Herein, different concepts for domain wall propagation based on currents and fields that could potentially be used in magnetic data storage devices based on domains and domain walls are reviewed. By direct imaging, we show that vortex and transverse walls can be displaced using currents due to the spin transfer torque effect. For the case of field-induced wall motion, particular attention is paid to the influence of localized fields and local heating on the depinning and propagation of domain walls. Using an Au nanowire adjacent to a permalloy structure with a domain wall, the depinning field of the wall, when current pulses are injected into the Au nanowire, was studied. The current pulse drastically modified the depinning field, which depended on the interplay between the externally applied field direction and polarity of the current, leading subsequently to an Oersted field and heating of the permalloy at the interface with the Au wire. Placing the domain wall at various distances from the Au wire and studying different wall propagation directions, the range of Joule heating and Oersted field was determined; both effects could be separated. Approaches beyond conventional field- and current-induced wall displacement are briefly discussed.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.83-86
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• 2006

Controlling magnetic domains in soft underlayer (SUL) of perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) is an important issue for the application of PMR in HDD. We studied the magnetic domain structures in SUL using the finite element based micromagnetic simulation (FEMM) for the SUL models with different thicknesses. The purpose is to simulate the magnetic domain wall noise when the SUL thickness and saturation magnetization are changed. The simulation results show that a 15 nm SUL forms simpler Neel wall domain wall pattern and 40 nm SUL forms complex Bloch wall. To visualize the effect of these domain walls stray field at a read sensor position, the magnetic stray field of the domain walls at air bearing surface (ABS) which is 50 nm above the SUL was simulated and the results imply that Bloch walls have stronger stray field with more complicated field patterns than Neel walls and this becomes a significant noise source. Therefore, the thickness of the SUL should be controlled to avoid the formation of Bloch walls.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1849-1860
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• 1994

Domain wall dynamics in thin film of amorphous Rare Earth-Transistion Metal alloys were investigated using numerical integration of the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. The thin film was divided into a two-dimensional square lattice ($30\times30$) of dipoles. Nearest-neighbor exchange interaction magnetic anisotropy, applied magnetic field, and demagnetiing field of interacting anisotropy, applied magnetic field, and demagnetizing field of interacting dipoles were considered. It was assumed that the film had perfect uniaxial anisotropy in the perpendicular direction and the magnetization reversal existed in the film. The time of domain wall creation and the thickness of the wall were investigated. Also the motion of domain walls under an applied field was considered. Simulation results showed that the time of domain wall creation was decreased significantly and the average velocity of domain wall was increased somewhat when the demagnetizing field was considered.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.303-306
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• 2005

Effect of a ferromagnetic layer thickness on a narrow domain wall width is investigated. It is found that the narrow domain wall is formed in ferromagnetic/nonmagnetic/ferromagnetic multi layer structure with a loc at interlayer exchange coupling, and that the width of the narrow domain wall is affected by the ferromagnetic layer thickness. We performed micromagnetics simulations for the $Fe_1/Cr/Fe_2$ system with the local interlayer exchange coupling, with fixed thickness (20-nm) of $Fe_2$ layer and various $Fe_1$ layer thickness (1, 2, 4, and 6 nm). Consequently, we confirmed that the thinner the $Fe_1$ layer thickness, the thinner the width of the domain wall is formed, because of the surface energy nature of the interlayer exchange coupling.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.663-666
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• 1995

The domain wall motion coercivity, $H_{c}$, of magnetic materials arises from the dependence of the wall energy on localized changes in material parameters (magnetization, anisotropy, exchange energy densities). However, in an otherwise perfectly homogeneous material, the domain wall energy might change due to the change in the volume of the wall versus the wall position. Thus, any surface roughness contributes to the coercivity. Assuming different two-dimensional surface profiles, characterized by average wavelengths ${\lambda}_{x}$ and ${\lambda}_{y}$, and relative thickness variations dh/h, the coercivity due to the surface roughness has been calculated. Compared to the one dimensional case, the 2D coercivity is reduced. Depending on the ratio of ${\lambda}$ to the domain wall width, $H_{c}$ has a maximum around 2, and increasing with dh/h. With the decreasing thickness of the thin film and GMR heads, it might be the domain factor in determining the coercivity.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.169-172
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• 2010

The coercivity mechanism in permanent magnets was analyzed according to the effects of domain nucleation and domain wall pinning. The coercivity mechanism of a TbCo thin film with high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was considered in terms of the local inhomogeneity in the thin film. The initial magnetization curves of the TbCo thin films demonstrated domain wall pinning to be the main contributor to the coercivity mechanism than domain nucleation. Based on the coercivity model proposed by Kronmuller et al., the inhomogeneity size acting as a domain wall pinning site was determined. Using the measured values of perpendicular anisotropy constant ($K_u$), saturation magnetization ($M_s$), and coercivity ($H_c$), the inhomogeneity size estimated in a TbCo thin film with high coercivity was approximately 9 nm.