Deroughening of a 1D domain wall in an ultrathin magnetic film by a correlated defect

Phys Rev Lett. 2001 Dec 24;87(26):267201. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.267201. Epub 2001 Dec 5.

Abstract

Interaction of a field-driven magnetic domain wall with a correlated (line) defect is examined by Kerr imaging in subnanometer thin Co films. The line defect directs and confines the wall near the bottom of the effective potential trough U(eff), which competes with underlying random disorder that roughens the wall. We observe a kinetic "deroughening" with roughness exponent zeta approximately 0.1 well below zeta = 2/3 characteristic of random defects. Deroughening occurs on lengths greater than an inherent elastic screening length L(el), which is consistently explained by the restoring action of U(eff).