Drastic changes of the domain size in an ultrathin magnetic film

A general framework for the domain size in any ultrathin film with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is here discussed. The domain structure is analyzed by using the classical theory taking into consideration the demagnetization field contribution to the domain wall energy. A sinusoidal model is considered to describe the domain structure while approaching, in two different cases, the monodomain state with in-plane magnetization. The first case is realized applying a large enough in-plane magnetic field. The second one is obtained by decreasing the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, which is connected in many ultrathin systems with the increase of film thickness. A change in the domain size of several orders of magnitude is obtained while approaching the magnetization reorientation region. The minimal stripe domain period p=8πlex2/d is calculated from the sinusoidal model, where lex is the exchange length and d is the thickness of the film. The range of possible domain size changes in ultrathin films is predicted. The domain size has been experimentally studied in a 1 nm Co film characterized by a square hysteresis loop. The investigations have been performed by polar Kerr based microscopy and magnetic force microscopy. The domain structure of two remnant states generated by applying an in-plane and a perpendicular magnetic field has been compared. Drastically, the smallest domain size has been observed for the former.