Magnetic domain wall dynamics in a permalloy nanowire

Experimental results of domain wall propagation velocity as a function of applied field in a 200-nm-wide permalloy nanostructure are presented. The structure was fabricated by focused-ion beam milling and designed to separate the domain wall nucleation from propagation. The measured velocities are very high, up to 1500 m/s at 49 Oe and the field dependence of the velocity is interpreted in terms of thermally activated wall motion through a series of pinning sites and a wall geometry that changes as a function of field. Index Terms--Domain walls, magnetic nanostructure, permalloy, thermal activation.