MAGNETIC DOMAIN OBSERVATION IN AMORPHOUS WIRES

The domain patterns of as-cast Fe-rich amorphous wires with 125 mum in diameter and a length of 10 cm have been observed by means of magneto-optical Kerr effect. Particular attention is paid to the observation of domains at the end and inside the wire after adequate polishing procedures. Four distinguishable regions within the wire namely, the shell, the core with diameter between 60 to 80 mum, and two different closure domain structures at the end of the wire depending on the two different remanent states, are observed. Investigating one end of the wire, we found conical-like domains with increasing diameter reaching at least several hundred mum into the wire in one remanent state, in the other remanent state we find a very small conical-like domain with decreasing diameter reaching only several ten mum into the wire. In addition, reversed domain patches inside the core up to a distance of about 3 cm from both ends can be observed. These results give a hint to enlighten the origin of the switching mechanism and its recently found alternating directional propagation.