X-ray imaging of vortex cores in confined magnetic structures

Peter Fischer, Mi-Young Im, Shinya Kasai, Keisuke Yamada, Teruo Ono, and André Thiaville
Phys. Rev. B 83, 212402 – Published 15 June 2011

Abstract

Cores of magnetic vortices in micron-sized NiFe disk structures, with thicknesses between 150 and 50 nm, were imaged and analyzed by high-resolution magnetic soft x-ray microscopy. A decrease of the vortex-core radius was observed from approximately 38 to 18 nm with decreasing disk thickness. By comparing with full three-dimensional micromagnetic simulations showing the well-known barrel structure, we obtained excellent agreement, taking into account instrumental broadening and a small perpendicular anisotropy. The proven magnetic spatial resolution of better than 25 nm was sufficient to identify a negative dip close to the vortex core, originating from stray fields of the core. Magnetic vortex structures can serve as test objects for evaluating sensitivity and spatial resolution of advanced magnetic microscopy techniques.

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  • Received 11 February 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.83.212402

©2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Peter Fischer1,*, Mi-Young Im1, Shinya Kasai2, Keisuke Yamada3, Teruo Ono3, and André Thiaville4

  • 1Center for X-Ray Optics, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
  • 2Magnetic Materials Center, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0047 Japan
  • 3Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasyo, Uji 611-0011, Japan
  • 4Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Université Paris-sud, CNRS UMR 8502, Bâtiment 510, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France

  • *PJFischer@lbl.gov

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Vol. 83, Iss. 21 — 1 June 2011

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