Domain Structures in Electrodeposited Nickel-Iron Thin Films

Abstract

Bitter patterns were observed on thin films of 80Ni-20Fe (Film I) and 82.5Ni-17.5Fe (Film II) alloys electrodeposited without magnetic field onto mechanically polished copper substrates. Domain motions in these films were examined during various magnetic processes. It was found that (1) in the “Film I”, domain walls fell into scratches and the easy axis was induced parallel to the scratches and (2) in the “Film II”, 180° domain walls appeared nearly perpendicular to the scratches and the average easy direction was perpendicular to the scratches in several films, while, in the other films, the domain patterns were very complicated. The results can be interpreted qualitatively.