Lattice model of stripe domain structure in ferromagnetic ultrathin films

Abstract

A lattice model is proposed to describe the stripe domain structure in a magnetic ultrathin film that consists of only a few or tens of monolayers and has a perpendicular anisotropy. The dipolar energies of the perpendicular and in-plane uniform magnetic states and the stripe domain structures in a magnetic ultrathin film are calculated separately using Ewald's lattice summation method. The thickness dependence of the stripe domain structure is investigated, and the stability of the stripe domain structure is discussed. The results show that for magnetic ultrathin films the stripe domain structure may have very sensitive dependence on their thickness.