Magneto-optical studies on ferromagnetic stripe domains in K2CuF4

Ferromagnetic stripe domains are observed in K₂CuF₄ below T_c=6.19 K by use of Faraday rotation (FR). They are about 4 μm wide and lie parallel to the c-planes. They are due to a very small intraplanar anisotropy field as a result of the minute orthorhombic lattice distortion observed by Hidaka and Walker. A stripe domain model, including closure domains for complete demagnetization, is in accordance with the experimental observations if the anisotropy fields H^out_A=1.4kOe and Hⁱⁿ_A=0.1 Oe are introduced. Long-range order, presumably induced by interplanar exchange, is a accompanied by 3d Ising critical behavior as verified by critical exponents obtained from different magneto-optical measurements (α=0.07, β=0.33 and δ=4.6). Changes of the domain structure, of the ac-plane FR, and of the ac-plane linear birefringence due to a transverse magnetic field H 6 a are discussed. A non-vanishing internal field is preceded by a domain instability. The compatibility of the domain structure with neutron scattering results of Hirakawa and Yoshizawa is discussed.