Transition to Linear Domain Walls in Nanoconstrictions

Domain walls in nanoconstrictions are investigated with a focus on thermal properties. In general, the magnetization component perpendicular to the easy axis which in a domain wall usually occurs has a value different from the easy-axis bulk magnetization value with a separate phase transition at a critical temperature below the Curie temperature. Since this effect is the more pronounced the smaller the domain wall width is, we investigate it especially in domain walls with a confined geometry, using analytical arguments, mean-field theory, and Monte Carlo simulations. Our findings may contribute to the understanding of magnetoresistive effects in domain walls with sizes of only a few atomic layers, as, e.g., in nanocontacts or nanoconstrictions.