Magnetic force microscopy investigation of domain structures in Fe-x at. % Ga single crystals (12 < x < 25)

The domain structure of furnace-cooled (FC) and post-annealed (PA) Fe-x at. % Ga (x=12, 20, and 25) crystals has been investigated by magnetic force microscopy. For both FC and PA Fe-12 at. % Ga, the domains were found to be well-aligned and oriented along the [100] direction. For Fe-20 at. % Ga, although a preferred [100] orientation remained, a difference in morphology was found between FC and PA conditions-in the PA condition, clear dendritic domains were observed. For both FC and PA Fe-25 at. % Ga, a much reduced [100] preferred domain orientation was found, the domain size was notably reduced, and dendrite formation was not observed. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.