  Comprehensive control of the domain wall nucleation process is crucial for
spin-based emerging technologies ranging from random-access and storage-class
memories over domain-wall logic concepts to nanomagnetic logic. In this work,
focused Ga+ ion-irradiation is investigated as an effective means to control
domain-wall nucleation in Ta/CoFeB/MgO nanostructures. We show that analogously
to He+ irradiation, it is not only possible to reduce the perpendicular
magnetic anisotropy but also to increase it significantly, enabling new,
bidirectional manipulation schemes. First, the irradiation effects are assessed
on film level, sketching an overview of the dose-dependent changes in the
magnetic energy landscape. Subsequent time-domain nucleation characteristics of
irradiated nanostructures reveal substantial increases in the anisotropy fields
but surprisingly small effects on the measured energy barriers, indicating
shrinking nucleation volumes. Spatial control of the domain wall nucleation
point is achieved by employing focused irradiation of pre-irradiated magnets,
with the diameter of the introduced circular defect controlling the coercivity.
Special attention is given to the nucleation mechanisms, changing from a
Stoner-Wohlfarth particle's coherent rotation to depinning from an anisotropy
gradient. Dynamic micromagnetic simulations and related measurements are used
in addition to model and analyze this depinning-dominated magnetization
reversal.
