Magnetic domain structure of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 nanoislands: Experiment and simulation

We have studied the magnetic domain structure of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) nanoislands with dimensions on the order of 160 ~ 720 nm. Domain structures of (001)-oriented LSMO rectangular nanoislands exhibit single and multiple flux-closed domain states depending on aspect ratio. (110)-oriented rectangular nanoislands, with a strain-induced magnetically easy axis parallel to the long axis of the rectangle, exhibit single and two domain states depending on aspect ratio. (110) elongated hexagonal islands, with similar aspect ratios, uniformly exhibit single domain states due to the apparent suppression of domain nucleation at tapered edges. These results are consistent with object-oriented micromagnetic framework simulations of LSMO islands.