Domain wall propagation in continuous thin films initiated by precessional reversal

Using time resolved magneto-optic Kerr effect magnetometry, the precessional reversal properties of continuous soft magnetic layers such as Permalloy and Finemet have been studied in the presence of a weak bias field applied parallel to the initial magnetisation direction. This configuration induces for appropriate pulse width and pulse height, a reversed domain with two domain walls. It will be shown how these time resolved studies can be used to investigate the wall velocity and wall mobility of in-plane magnetised thin films. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.