Direct observation of tensile-strain-induced nanoscale magnetic hardening.

Abstract in brief

• This study uses advanced imaging techniques to directly observe how tensile strain affects magnetic domains in a nickel thin film, revealing that strain can induce the formation and dissociation of magnetic domain walls in a predictable and reversible way.
• The research provides detailed measurements showing that magnetic domain structures and their transformations depend on the amount and direction of applied stress, and that these effects can be controlled by changing the size of nanostructures.
• Overall, the findings offer clear evidence of magnetic hardening caused by mechanical strain at the nanoscale and demonstrate a method to quantify these strain-induced magnetic changes with high precision.