6.

S t a b i l i t y
of DW

and Probabilistic

Description

Motion

Among various nonlinear effects arising in the DW dynamics an important

place is occupied by the nonlinear dependence of the friction, Fd, on the wall
velocity. The nonmonotonous Fd (v) dependence caused by Cherenkov phonon
emission, which was discussed in the previous section, results, formally, in the
ambiguous dependence of the DW velocity on the driving field. This raises the
question: which one of the possible velocity values is realized? This chapter
deals with an analysis of this problem.
We first study the DW stability relative to small perturbations and assure
ourselves that, although some of the velocity values respond to the unstable
motion, a complete answer to this question cannot be given. The analysis
for the case of arbitrary (not small) perturbations makes it possible to solve,
ultimately, this problem. It then turns out to be possible to explain the
principal laws: the absence of hysteresis on the experimental behaviour of
v ( H ) in the nonlinear region, and the weak temperature dependence of the
magnetoelastic anomaly width.
Let us examine non-unidimensional DW motion, treating it as a membrane with surface energy a and mass m.. The equation for free bending
vibrations of the wall can be obtained from the Lagrangian:

:/ {

s = -~

dydz

m, \Or]

-o-

(0:),}
~r2

(6.1)

'

where m, is the effective mass of the wall, cr is its surface energy, m , c 2 = o-,
and r is the coordinate in the DW plane. It was assumed in (6.1) that
v<< c.
The equation for the wall displacement f ( x , z , t ) , with allowance for the
induced force FH and the retarding force, takes the form

or2

\oy. + Oz~/= .~--:

-~

- .~.

(6.2)

Here, r] is the viscosity coefficient determining the usual viscous friction of

the type F = -zlv, # is the DW mobility responding to this viscous friction,
F ( v ) is the phonon retarding force. The (6.2)-type equation was investigated
at the beginning of the century in connection with the analysis of string oscillations. We assume that the phonon frictional force obeys the same equation

88

6. Stability and Probabilistic Description of DW Motion

as that in the one-dimensional case. As it was noted in the previous section, such substitution, generally speaking, is invalid but for linear D W - t y p e
perturbations one may hope for its adequacy.
f = v0t, corresponds to a stationary motion of a straight DW, the velocity
value v0 is found equating the r.h.s of (6.2) to zero:
rl(Vo - # H ) + F(vo) = 0

(6.3)

We examine small deviations from the stationary motion, writing, to this

end, f = rot + qo, and linearizing (6.2) in ~:

Here the following notation is introduced: 2u(v0) = ~/+ d F ( v o ) / d v o . We

Iook for a solution for 9 of the form u0 exp(Tt + i k 1 7 7 For the increment
7 we get

-y =

V/.2(vo) - dkl

(6.4)

It follows from this formula that when z/> 0 the real part of 7 is negative,
i.e. small deviations from the solution f = rot are damped. If, on the other
hand, the velocity v0 is in the range of negative differential mobility, and
~(v0) < 0, the solution f = rot is unstable. The most intense increase is
observed in inhomogeneous deviations of the DW velocity and shape from
those corresponding to the straight and uniform motion, clk [ ~ lu(v0)l
corresponds to a maximum in the increment ~/ (Zvezdin et al. [6.1], see also
the review by Bar'yakhtar et aI. [6.2]).
Evidently, this regime can only be affected in the presence of a nonmonotonous part of the function Fd(V) = ~v + F ( v ) , and with such magnetic field values, when the equation (6.3) for v has three roots. It is readily
seen that instability is typical for the mean root v~s, and two other roots
vl < vus < v2 correspond to the stable motion with respect to small perturbations. As it will be shown below one of these solutions has absolute stability,
and the other one is unstable with respect to not small perturbations.
We estimate the WFM parameters at which the inequality u(v0) < 0 is
satisfied and instability develops. This inequality is satisfied at small enough
r/, i.e. large mobility values, specifically, # > P0,
#0 = 2m0 {max IdF(vD/dvl} - t ,'. 2moz2V/Fmax

(6.5.)

Here A v and Fmax are, respectively, the width and phonon peak height in
the force of friction. Assuming that AHmax -----Fm~x/2m0 ~ 30 Oe, and A v ~_
0.2 s ~-- 105cm/s we get: P0 ~-- 103cm/s Oe. This value is consistent in the
order of magnitude with the mobility value starting from which the nonequilibrium and non-unidimensional DW dynamics is observed in orthoferrites,
see below, Chap. 8.

6. Stability and Probabilistic Description of DW Motion

89

To s t u d y the stability, with respect to not too small perturbations, is

much more complicated, and so far, this analysis has only been done for the
case of unidimensional DW motion. In this case f = f(t) in the equation
(6.2). Following the Gomonov et al. [6.3] paper, we write equation (4.2) in
the form:

0]9 + p = 2moll + F(;)

Ot
T

(6.6)

where p is the D W m o m e n t u m , and in the actual case of motion with velocity

v N s << c it can be assumed t h a t p = m,v. The terminology used in Eq. (6.6)
is: F ( p ) = F ( v ) = F ( p / m , ) .
To examine the stability of the s t e a d y - s t a t e motion with the given value
P = Po, po/'r = 2moll + f'(p) we m a y use the classical Lyapunov theorem on
the stability of motion, see, e.g., Ref. [6.4]. To make use of this theorem, in
our case, it is necessary to construct some function ~(p), whereby near the
point p = P0 this function
1) would be positive-definite at all p r P0;
2) would have a negative derivative with time calculated according to the
equation of motion (6.6).
We show, following Gomonov et aI. [6.3], t h a t as the Lyapunov function
we can choose the function
~(P) - p2
2~-

2 m o p H - if0p P(~)d~

(6.7)

Since the equation of motion (6.6) can be written as

ap

0
'

the derivative Or
= - [0[~(p)] lop] 2 < 0, this satisfies the second conditon
of the Lyapunov theorem. Our further analysis is reduced to studying the
e x t r e m a of the Lyapunov function.
Indeed, the p ~ Po values corresponding to the s t e a d y - s t a t e D W motion
are determined by the condition O~(p)/Opo = 0, i.e., correspond to stationary
points of the Lyapunov function. Considering the dependence of F on v for
a single phonon peak at v = s, it is easy to see, that depending on whether
# < Po or p > #0, the function ~5(p) has one or three extrema. Since the
integral f o / ~ ( ~ ) d~ is finite, the function ~(p) ~_ p2/2T when p -+ c~. Thus,
if there is one extremum, it is a minimum. If, on the other hand, qS(p) has
three e x t r e m a at the points Pl < Pus < P2, then when p = Pus the m a x i m u m
is affected, and when p = Pl and p = P2 - two minima.
If ~P(p) has only one extremum for p = Po, then to the latter corresponds
a stable motion with respect to arbitrary perturbations. Indeed, the function
~(p) cc p2 when p --+
and O~/Op vanishes nowhere except for the point
P = Po. Hence it follows t h a t at any initial condition for t -+ ~ , p --+ Po.

90

6. Stability and Probabilistic Description of DW Motion

The motion with momentum Pus = m.v, as it has been shown above, is unstable (in virtue of the Chetaev theorem on the instability of motion, see [6.4];
it follows also directly from the fact that O~/Ot < 0 and 02~(pus)/Op~s > 0).
As for the motion with velocities Vl = pl/m. and v2 = p2/m., in virtue of
the conditions of Lyapunov's theorem, these are stable relative to sufficiently
small perturbations. This stems from the fact that the functions ~(p) -4~(pl)
and ~(p) - ~ ( P 2 ) are positive-definite in some finite vicinities about the points
P = Pl and p = P2. The conclusion on the global stability of these motions,
or one of them, cannot be made: one can always represent the perturbation
that transfers the system from the minimum p = Pl to the minimum p = P2,
or vice versa. The problem with what velocity the DW will move in the given
field, under the condition that it initially had some velocity, is equivalent to
that just to what minimum of the function ~5 the system will be transferred.
From the view-point of mechanics these minima are equivalent. But from
the view-point of thermodynamics there arises inequivalence, and the state
of the motion to which the deeper minimum of the function ~5(p) corresponds,
is preferable.
Varying the governing parameters, e.g., the external field, results in changing the function ~5. The initial global minimum that determined the state of
the system can then become the metastable local minimum or even vanish. In
this case the system should go over from one local minimum to the other. To
determine the moment of the transition and the minimum in which the state
of the system will be stable (in the works on the DW dynamics this principle
is called the principle of maximum retardation) was accepted implicitly. It
can be formulated as follows: the system being, initially, in a given local or
global minimum, remains in it until it is existent. This assumption gave rise,
in the dynamical theory, to a conclusion inconsistent with experiment about
the existence of hysteresis of velocity in the system.
This assumption does not take into account the availability of noise - fluctuations which are, certainly, present in the system, such as a DW moving in
a real inhomogeneous sample. To take fluctuations into account, the random
force _F(t) should be added to the r.h.s, of Eq. (6.6). In this case the equation
(6.6) takes the form:

Op
at

a~,(p)
Op

- -

+ .F(t)

(6.8)

where the mean value of/~(t) is zero, (F) = 0. Equation (6.8) has the sense of
the Langevin equation. Unlike the purely dynamic equation (6.6) it describes
the statistical rules, in particular, irreversibility, see, for example, Isihara's
[6.5] monograph. In this case the character of the DW motion is determined
by a function of the distribution of the momenta w(p, t). Under general assumptions upon the character of the statistical dynamics the kinetic equation
of the Fokker-Planck-type can be obtained for this function (Gomonov et al.
[6.3]);

6. Stability and Probabilistic Description of DW Motion

aw
O (wOq5 ~
02
at -- Op \ -~p ] +-~p 2(Dw)

'

91
(6.9)

where D is the diffusion coefficient. This magnitude characterizes the noise

level in the system and determines the correlation function of the random
force (~'(t)['(t')) = 2Db(t - t'). (Remember that the quantities 'p' and 'D'
refer to the entire DW of finite size, i.e., we treat it as a system with one
degree of freedom and neglect its non-unidimensionality in the process of the
transition).
In the simplest case, setting D constant, we have the stationary solution
to Eq. (6.9):

w(p) = N exp {-~(---~ ) }

(6.10)

where N is the normalized constant. It follows from this formula that the
largest probability is consistent with that momentum value to which there
corresponds a lower minimum of the function ~5(p). This is equivalent to the
statement known as Maxwell's principle: the state of the system is determined
by the global minimum of the potential function. Using this principle one can
construct p(H) or v(H) seeking for the global minimum of the function ~(p)
at a value of H, which varies from 0 to ec. The field dependence of the
velocity will then be single-valued, i.e. there is no hysteresis, which agrees
with experiment (see Chap. 4). The fields for which the values of ~ in two
lower minima are comparable will have velocity jumps on the v(H) curve.
The velocities of stable stationary DW motion are found from a system
of equations

O@/Op = 0,

02qS/Op2 > 0

(6.11)

These, in the region of the nonsingle-valued function v(H) of the two minima
of @, have two solutions: pl(H) and p2(H).
The Maxwell principle gives the equation to obtain the bifurcation set, i.e.,
the set of points in the space of governing parameters, where the transition
from one local minimum to the other occurs: @(pl(H)) = 4~(p2(H). Using
definition (6.7), this condition can be written as

2moll(p1 - P2) =

F(p) dp ,

(6.12)

where F(p) is the total frictional force, involved in Eq. (6.6). The solution to
Eq. (6.12) is given by the field corresponding to the transition to supersonic
velocity on the v(H) curve. The geometric equivalence of this equation, (6.12),
is the equality between two segments of areas, dashed in Fig. 6.1, which is
analogous to the Maxwell rule in phase transition theory.
So, when we determine the real dependence of v on H, two approaches
can be used: the principle of maximum retardation, adequate for the dynamic

92

6. Stability and Probabilistic Description of DW Motion

HM

Fig. 6.1 A scheme of constructing the dependence of v on H according to Maxwell's

principle
theory, and, Maxwell's rule corresponding to an extremely strong role played
by fluctuations. In order to choose which one of the two approaches ought to
be used, it is necessary to solve a nonstationary equation, (6.9), to estimate
the lifetime in the metastable minimum and to compare it with the time of
the experiment. To this end, it is also necessary to calculate the diffusion
coefficient D involved in (6.9).
D was calculated by the authors [6.3] within a specific model of randomly
distributed plane defects. On the whole, the program of the analysis of nonstationary DW dynamics, with allowance for fluctuations, is far from being
formulated. Moreover, it is unclear, how adequate the plane DW approximarion is. Experiment shows that the DW ceases to be a one-dimensional
object when overcoming the sound barrier. In this situation, one of the two
approaches used to describe DW dynamics in the relevant range of v(H) can
be chosen only on the basis of experimental data.
The principle of maximum retardation predicts a hysteresis of the v(H)
function, which is never observed in experiment. An alternative statistical
approach is more preferable from the view-point of experiment. In particular,
it follows from the geometrical interpretation of Maxwell's principle that the
width of the near-sound region of the DW velocity steadiness (the plateau
width) on the v(H) curve depends both on the resonance peak height (as
for the dynamical description) and on the deflection of the curve p(H), i.e.
on the initial DW mobility. With increasing mobility, the magnitude AHs
(plateau width) in a statistical theory should decrease. This rule and also the
absence of hysteresis on the v(H) function are consistent with experiment.
For a more exact description of the experiment, we calculate singularities
on the v(H) curve near the transverse sound velocity in yttrium orthoferrite.
Using for F(v) the formula (5.18), given above, and omitting the additve
constant, we represent the Lyapunov function @(p) as:

6. Stability and Probabilistic Description of DW Motion

93

p2

arctan

-- - - - 2 m o p H + Z - - - ~ r

(s - v)

-4

(6.13)

The area under the resonance peak F(v), equal to the doubled coefficient
before arctan in (6.13), is independent of viscosity. Thus, the plateau width
A H s , determined in a statistical theory by the Maxwell rule, is weakly dependent on dissipation. At the same time, the amplitude of the peak and, hence,
the plateau width A H D , defined within a pure dynamic theory by making
use of the principle of maximum retardation, are inversely proportional to
the dissipation [6.2].
This difference is shown in Fig. 6.2. The values of A H s are found by
numerical solution of the system (6.11), (6.12) for the function ~, determined
by Eq. (6.13). It follows from Fig. 6.2 that with decreasing dissipation in the
elastic system, resulting in the ten-fold increase of the plateau width which
is given by a dynamical theory, A H s increases rather weakly. This behaviour
is consistent with the fact that with lowering temperature of the sample from
300 to 4.2 K the real plateau changes insignificantly [6.6], although A H D
should then increase by several orders.
AH~I, Oe

200

100

J
J

500

1000

AHD, Oe

Fig. 6.2 Theoretical dependence of the magnetoelastic "shelf' width AHM, calculated according to Maxwell's principle on its width AHD in the dynamical theory,
for different values of the DW mobility #; curves 1, 2, 3 correspond to # = 108,
5 9103, and 5- 104 cm/s.Oe, respectively
As has already been mentioned, AHs decreases with increasing initial
mobility # of the DW which corresponds experimentally to the observed
phenomenon of plateau elimination in samples with high mobility, whereas
AHD is independent of the DW mobility.
This is illustrated in the graphs of the A H s dependence on # given in
Fig. 6.3.

94

6. Stability and Probabilistic Description of DW Motion

AHM, Oe

200

100

# . 104cm/sec-Oe

Fig. 6.3 Dependence of the magnetoelastic "shelf' width Z~HM on the value of the
initial mobility. 1 - AHD = 1000 Oe, 2 - AH~) = 200 Oe
As was noted in the previous section, when the corresponding conditions
are satisfied, a shock wave can be formed in orthoferrite-type WFM. The
shock wave excitation leads to an additional contribution to the frictional
force determined by the fraction-linear function (5.34). This addition to the
force of friction gives the additional term A@sw to the Lyapunov function
(6.13), and, as a result, increases the plateau width A H . Using Maxwell's
principle for A H s w caused by A@sw, it is easy to get:

aH w :1.
where Av = Iv:~ - s I = 2afMg/~le , t3 = (2p/moS) ( f M 2 A / ~ e ) 2, V/e is the
viscosity of the elastic subsystem.
This expression is cumbersome enough and admits no analytic treatment.
Its numerical analysis shows that A H s w increases sharply with decreasing
viscosity of the crystal, approximately as 1 / ~ . For comparison, the A H s
dependence on viscosity, ~ , is given in the same figure (Fig. 6.4) (i.e., the
width anomalies caused by the usual Cherenkov mechanism). As was mentioned above, A H s depends weakly on viscosity. Thus, a t small viscosity
values corresponding to low temperatures, the magnetoelastic anomaly on
the dependences of v on H can be caused, primarily, by the shock wave.

6. Stability a n d Probabilistic Description of D W Motion

95

AH

150

100

50

0.1

0.2

0.3

~, erg.sec/cm3

F i g . 6.4 Dependence of the magnetoelastic "shelf' width caused by the shock wave
excitation on the crystal viscosity ~e, at # = 2 . 104cm/s.Oe, s = 4.1 - 103m/s,
fM3 = 3. 107erg/cm 3. Curve 1 corresponds to the nonlinearity coefficient (~ = 10,
a n d curve 2 corresponds to c~ = 50. For comparison, the dependence AHM(ue)
is cMculated by Maxwell's principle for the same values of #, s, a n d fM3 a n d is
presented in curve 3