Quantitative investigation of magnetic domains with in-plane and out-of-plane easy axes in GaMnAs films by Hall effect

Abstract

Magnetic anisotropy of ferromagnetic semiconductor GaMnAs film with a low Mn concentration grown on a (001) GaAs substrate was investigated by Hall effect measurements. The presence of domains with in-plane and out-of-plane easy axes was identified in the film by analyzing hysteresis loops observed via the Hall resistance measured in various geometries. Quantitative analysis of the planar Hall resistance showed that the fraction of the sample with magnetic domains having a dominant out-of-plane easy axis was about 6 times larger than the fraction corresponding to domains with easy axis in the sample plane. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics.