Effects of Magnetic Domain Walls on the Anisotropic Magnetoresistance in NiFe Nanowires

Abstract

We show that a type of magnetic domain walls (DWs) can be monitored by anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) measurements due to a specific DW volume depending on the DW type in NiFe magnetic wires. A circular DW injection pad is used to generate DWs at a low magnetic field, resulting in reliable DW introduction into magnetic wires. DW pinning is induced by a change of DW energy at an asymmetric single notch. The injection of DW from the circular pad and its pinning at the notch is observed by using AMR and magnetic force microscope (MFM) measurements. A four-point probe AMR measurement allows us to distinguish the DW type in the switching process because DWs are pinned at the single notch, where voltage probes are closely placed around the notch. Two types of AMR behavior are observed in the AMR measurements, which is owing to a change of DW structures. MFM images and micromagnetic simulations are consistent with the AMR results.