UC Davis

Macroscopic domain structures have been realized in wedged-permalloy (Py)/uniform-FeMn bilayers during magnetization reversal. When the exchange anisotropy is established perpendicular or parallel to the wedge direction, two macroscopic domains are observed. Separating these domains are a 180° wall in the perpendicular geometry and an intermediate band containing large density of stripe-type microdomains in the parallel geometry. While the exchange field remains practically the same in both geometries, the coercivity and squareness of the loop are much less in the parallel geometry.