Strain-domain structure and stability diagrams for single-domain magnetic thin films

Strain effects on domain structures and thermal stability in single-domain magnetic thin films were studied using thermodynamic analysis. The strain-domain structure and stability diagrams were established and compared to several existing experimental results. The structure diagram displays various stable single-domain states under in-plane normal and/or in-plane shear strains by minimizing the free energy density whereas the stability diagram takes into account possible thermal excitations and hence illustrate the thermally stable magnetic single-domain states. The results improve the understanding of strain-magnetization correlation in magnetic thin films and provide useful insight for the development of strain-engineered magnetic nanostructures with novel functionalities. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.