Quasi-lifetime topography of magnetic domain movements in grain oriented (100) [001] FE–3 wt% Si polycrystals using white synchrotron radiation:II. The influence of small tensile stress

The full potential of white synchrotron radiation (DESY, Hamburg) is employed in Laue transmission geometry to study magnetic domain movements in a grain orientated Fe–Si polycrystal influenced by small tensile stress. The topographs show that the domains are extremely sensitive to minute stresses, less than 2.3 N/mm2, applied along an easy [010]‐magnetization axis. Further increase replaces the inherent stripe domains with 90° closure domains, after which strain bands appear at 4.6 N/mm2. A reduction in stress partially reverses the process. Topographs taken of the crystal in a final free state show a disordered array of [001], [010], and [011] stripe domain islands. Topographs taken of the same area three months later show a metastable recovery to the initial domain pattern.