Fig. 1

Typical AFM and MFM micrographs of shear bands. a SEM image of shear bands upon bending the Fe₇₈Si₉B₁₃ MG ribbons. b 3D AFM topographic image of shear bands. c, d AFM topographic image (c) and the corresponding MFM phase image (d) of a single shear band. For MFM phase image, wave-like magnetic domain patterns are formed along the shear band with the light white (dark blue) regions corresponding to the magnetization pointing out of (into) the sample plane, respectively. e Height and the corresponding MFM phase profiles along the transverse black and red dotted lines in c and d, respectively. f MFM phase profiles along the lines on both sides of the shear band, as indicated by the colored dotted lines in d. g, h AFM topographic image (g) and the corresponding MFM phase image (h). For MFM phase image, wave-like magnetic domain patterns can extend tens of micrometers. i Height and the corresponding MFM phase profiles along the transverse black and red dotted lines in g and h, respectively. j, MFM phase profiles along the colored dotted lines in h. The intensity of the extending magnetic domains (blue line) is much weaker than the domains surrounding the shear band (red line). Scale bar, 5 µm in a, c, d and 10 µm in g, h