1.
Phys Rev Lett
; 87(3): 037201, 2001 Jul 16.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11461585
ABSTRACT
Two-level magnetic switching of a bilayer epitaxial Fe film grown on a graded stepped W(100) surface is observed using the magneto-optic Kerr effect. Hysteresis loops produced by the film at a location on the curved W(100) surface corresponding to a vicinal angle of 6.4 degrees exhibit two abrupt jumps in magnetization following spin orientation perpendicular to the steps resulting from surface-step-induced anisotropy. The two-step process can be understood in terms of abrupt depinning of spins in two inequivalent microdomains associated with the stepped surface. The results suggest a new realm of ultrathin film micromagnetics in which characteristic dimensions of 20-30 A can play a dominant role.