Switching behavior of vortex structures in nanodisks

Abstract

This work presents an experimental investigation of the switching behavior of single Co- and permalloy (Py) nanodisks employing magnetic force microscopy (MFM) and micro Hall magnetometry. We used both methods to study the magnetization reversal of individual disks with diameters between 200 nm and 2 ìm and thicknesses between 5 nm and 60 nm with a magnetic vortex phase. It is shown, that the helicity of the vortex (clockwise or counterclockwise) is independent of the direction of the normal component in the center, and vice versa. By an externally applied field it is possible to switch the direction of the central out of plane component selectively