Domain wall propagation in Permalloy nanowires with a thickness gradient

The magnetization reversal behavior of Permalloy nanowires has been investigated using a magneto-optic Kerr effect setup. Nanowires with various widths, w=250 nm to 3 μm and a thickness of t=10 nm were fabricated by electron-beam lithography and subsequent lift-off. Furthermore, similar nanowires but with a thickness gradient along the nanowire axis have been prepared to investigate the influence of the gradient on the magnetic domain wall propagation. Magnetization hysteresis loops recorded on individual nanowires without a gradient are compared to corresponding wires with a thickness gradient. The dependence of the coercive field, Hc vs. t/w shows a linear behavior for wires without a gradient. However, wires with a gradient display a more complex crossover behavior. We find a plateau in the Hc vs. t/w curve at values of w, where a transformation from transverse to vortex domain wall type is expected.