Novel Magnetic Domain Structure in Iron Meteorite Induced by the Presence of L1₀-FeNi

Abstract

Photoelectron emission microscopy has been carried out to study the magnetic properties of iron meteorite associated with the Widmanstätten structure for the first time. A magnetic circular dichroic image reveals a unique magnetic domain structure, resulting in the "head-on" magnetic coupling over the interface between the α and γ lamellae. Such a magnetic domain structure is unfavorable in any synthetic Fe–Ni alloys. Micromagnetics simulation reasonably explains that the formation of magnetic domains is induced by the L10-type FeNi (tetrataenite) phase segregated at the boundary in the Widmanstätten structure.