In situ tailoring of magnetization configuration in NiFe film deposited onto flexible substrate

In this paper, we study the effect of mechanical stress on the domain configuration of a NiFe film obliquely deposited on a compliant polyimide substrate. To this end, we have developed a new method combining in situ mechanical tests with magnetic force microscopy (MFM) imaging. This approach allows changing the static magnetization structure of the film by controlling the stress-induced anisotropy. In the absence of applied stress and magnetic field, the sample shows stripe domains with an in-plane tilted direction with respect to the stress axis. After saturating the film, application of an increasing stress regenerates progressively a stripe domains structure with a modified in-plane magnetization direction.