Issue 31, 2017

Magnetization reversal in circular vortex dots of small radius

Abstract

We present a detailed study of the magnetic behavior of Permalloy (Ni80Fe20 alloy) circular nanodots with small radii (30 nm and 70 nm) and different thicknesses (30 nm or 50 nm). Despite the small size of the dots, the measured hysteresis loops manifestly display the features of classical vortex behavior with zero remanence and lobes at high magnetic fields. This is remarkable because the size of the magnetic vortex core is comparable to the dot diameter, as revealed by magnetic force microscopy and micromagnetic simulations. The dot ground states are close to the border of the vortex stability and, depending on the dot size, the magnetization distribution combines attributes of the typical vortex, single domain states or even presents features resembling magnetic skyrmions. An analytical model of the dot magnetization reversal, accounting for the large vortex core size, is developed to explain the observed behavior, providing a rather good agreement with the experimental results. The study extends the understanding of magnetic nanodots beyond the classical vortex concept (where the vortex core spins have a negligible influence on the magnetic behavior) and can therefore be useful for improving emerging spintronic applications, such as spin-torque nano-oscillators. It also delimits the feasibility of producing a well-defined vortex configuration in sub-100 nm dots, enabling the intracellular magneto-mechanical actuation for biomedical applications.

Graphical abstract: Magnetization reversal in circular vortex dots of small radius

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 Apr 2017
Accepted
24 Jul 2017
First published
25 Jul 2017

Nanoscale, 2017,9, 11269-11278

Magnetization reversal in circular vortex dots of small radius

M. Goiriena-Goikoetxea, K. Y. Guslienko, M. Rouco, I. Orue, E. Berganza, M. Jaafar, A. Asenjo, M. L. Fernández-Gubieda, L. Fernández Barquín and A. García-Arribas, Nanoscale, 2017, 9, 11269 DOI: 10.1039/C7NR02389H

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