Intrinsic domain wall pinning in rapidly solidified amorphous nanowires

Magnetoelastic anisotropy calculations and experimental switching field data are used to investigate the origin of the domain wall pinning in rapidly solidified amorphous glass-coated nanowires and submicron wires. The correlation of experimental and calculated results have shown that the magneto-mechanical coupling between internal stresses induced during preparation and magnetostriction is responsible for the pinning of the domain walls in amorphous wires with diameters below 300 nm, whilst in thicker submicron wires demagnetization is also important. The results are important for fully understanding and controlling magnetic switching in rapidly solidified amorphous nanowires for future applications. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.