Out-of-plane stray field at magnetization reversal in epitaxial magnetite thin films

With a mu-Hall sensor array we have studied the local behavior of the out-of-plane stray field component for different magnetic states in Fe3O4 thin films on MgAl2O4 and MgO substrates for fields applied parallel to the main surface. The results indicate a narrow field region where a nearly step-like response and Barkhausen jumps of the out-of-plane stray field are measured. The hysteresis of the local field and its amplitude depend on the magnetic state condition of the film. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.