Magnetocrystalline anisotropy, magnetization curves, and domain structure of FeB single crystals

Single crystals of an orthorhombic compound FeB have been synthesized. Based on the data of magnetic measurements and X-ray diffraction analysis, it has been shown that two mutually perpendicular preferred magnetization axes exist in the orthorhombic single crystals of FeB: the easy axis (EA) corresponds to the crystallographic axis [010], and the hard axis (HA), to the [100] axis. The function of the energy of magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) of the orthorhombic magnets has been analyzed for extrema. Orientations of the EAs and HAs have been determined. It has been established that in the orthorhombic magnets there is always realized a single type of MCA: two preferred mutually perpendicular axes always exist in the crystals, one of which is an EA, and the other is an HA. Expressions for the anisotropy fields of orthorhombic magnets have been obtained. The constants of MCA of the orthorhombic compound FeB have been calculated to be K 1 * ≈ 4 × 105 J/m3 and K 2 * 7×104 J/m3. The domain structure on the planes (100), (010), and (001) of the FeB single crystals has been studied. It has been shown that the main volume of the sample is occupied by stripe domains ∼40 μm wide with the walls oriented along (100) crystallographic planes. It has been found that the structure of closure domains on the plane (010) of the FeB single crystals has some specific features, namely, there exists a preferred direction in the structure for the orientation of the boundaries of the main domains, and the closure domains have the shape of regular rhombs. A model of the domain structure of FeB single crystals is suggested.