[en] We present a study of the magnetic-field dependence of the magnetic microstructure of the nanocrystalline soft magnet Vitroperm (Fe73Si16B7Nb3Cu1), which was treated so as to exhibit a macroscopic magnetic anisotropy. The samples were analysed using Kerr microscopy and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). As the applied magnetic field is decreased starting from saturation, we find that two processes occur independently: the formation of a domain structure with the net magnetisation of the domains aligned along the macroscopic easy axis and the increase in magnitude of static, nanometer-scale fluctuations of the spin orientation. The domain structure observations from Kerr microscopy are in excellent agreement with the results of the SANS experiments.
Disciplines :
Physics
Identifiers :
UNILU:UL-ARTICLE-2010-512
Author, co-author :
Grob, A.
Saranu, S.
Herr, U.
Michels, Andreas ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication (FSTC) > Physics and Materials Science Research Unit
Viswanath, R. N.
Weissmüller, J.
Language :
English
Title :
Characteristic magnetic length-scales in Vitroperm—Combining Kerr microscopy and small-angle neutron scattering