Nanoscale patterning techniques can be used to fabricate magnetic structures with dimensions comparable with those of magnetic domains and domain walls (DWs). This can give control over the interactions taking place within the material allowing complex frustrated geometries to be designed such as artificial spin ice. In addition to advances in the fundamental physical understanding of magnetism from studying these nanoscale systems, research in this area may lead to the development of novel spintronic devices for technological applications.

In artificial spin ice, magnetic nanobars can support magnetic DWs and the magnetisation reversal in an applied field is mediated through DW propagation. Interactions between the micromagnetic structure of a DW and the spin structure at the nanobar vertices determine the path of a DW and it's de-pinning field from the vertex.

In this work the trajectory of a DW at a nanobar vertex is investigated as a function of the dynamic behavior of the propagating DW. This includes the time dependent periodic changes in the DW micromagnetic structure that results from Walker breakdown. These results have implications for future technological applications as well as suggesting processes that may govern magnetisation reversal in artificial spin ice structures.