Size Dependence of Domain Pattern Transfer in Multiferroic Heterostructures

Abstract

Magnetoelectric coupling in multiferroic heterostructures can produce large lateral modulations of magnetic anisotropy enabling the imprinting of ferroelectric domains into ferromagnetic films. Exchange and magnetostatic interactions within ferromagnetic films oppose the formation of such domains. Using micromagnetic simulations and a 1-D model, we demonstrate that competing energies lead to the breakdown of domain pattern transfer below a critical domain width. Moreover, rotation of the magnetic field results in abrupt transitions between two scaling regimes with different magnetic anisotropy.