We use micromagnetic simulations to demonstrate the feasibility of creating magnetic logic gates that process binary data encoded within the internal magnetization structure of domain walls in ferromagnetic nanowires. In the simulated nanowires, domain walls take the form of magnetic vortices, where the magnetization circulates either clockwise or anticlockwise. By exploiting differences in how these two domain-wall states interact with both notch-shaped defects and junctions in the nanowires, we design nanowire segments that act as NOT, FAN-OUT, NAND, AND, OR, and NOR logic gates. Potentially, these gates could be cascaded to perform any desired logical operation. Our simulations demonstrate the possibility of a class of magnetic devices in which domain walls carry digital information rather than merely delineate it.

Nonvolatile logic networks based on spintronic and nanomagnetic technologies have the potential to create high‐speed, ultralow power computational architectures. This article explores the feasibility of “chirality‐encoded domain wall logic,” a nanomagnetic logic architecture where data are encoded by the chiral structures of mobile domain walls in networks of ferromagnetic nanowires and processed by the chiral structures' interactions with geometric features of the networks. High‐resolution magnetic imaging is used to test two critical functionalities: the inversion of domain wall chirality at tailored artificial defect sites (logical NOT gates) and the chirality‐selective output of domain walls from 2‐in‐1‐out nanowire junctions (common operation to AND/NAND/OR/NOR gates). The measurements demonstrate both operations can be performed to a good degree of fidelity even in the presence of complex magnetization dynamics that would normally be expected to destroy chirality‐encoded information. Together, these results represent a strong indication of the feasibility of devices where chiral magnetization textures are used to directly carry, rather than merely delineate, data.

We study the physical origins of stochastic domain wall pinning in soft ferromagnetic nanowires using focused magneto-optic Kerr effect measurements and dynamic micromagnetic simulations. Our results illustrate the ubiquitous nature of these effects in Ni 80 Fe 20 nanowires, and show that they are not only a result of the magnetisation history of the system (i.e. the magnetisation structure of the injected domain walls), and the onset of nonlinear propagation dynamics above the Walker breakdown field, but also a complex interplay between the two. We show that this means that, while micromagnetics can be used to make qualitative predictions of the behaviour of domain walls at defect sites, making quantitative predictions is much more challenging. Together, our results reinforce the view that even in these simple pseudo-one dimensional nanomagnets, domain walls must be considered as complex, dynamically evolving objects rather than simple quasi-particles.

Efficient manipulation of antiferromagnetic (AF) domains and domain walls has opened up new avenues of research towards ultrafast, high-density spintronic devices. AF domain structures are known to be sensitive to magnetoelastic effects, but the microscopic interplay of crystalline defects, strain and magnetic ordering remains largely unknown. Here, we reveal, using photoemission electron microscopy combined with scanning X-ray diffraction imaging and micromagnetic simulations, that the AF domain structure in CuMnAs thin films is dominated by nanoscale structural twin defects. We demonstrate that microtwin defects, which develop across the entire thickness of the film and terminate on the surface as characteristic lines, determine the location and orientation of 180∘ and 90∘ domain walls. The results emphasize the crucial role of nanoscale crystalline defects in determining the AF domains and domain walls, and provide a route to optimizing device performance.