Magnon modes for thin circular vortex-state magnetic dots

The magnetization in a magnetic microdot made from soft magnetic materials can have a vortex-like ground-state structure resulting from competition between the exchange and dipolar interactions. Normal mode magnon frequencies for such dots are calculated taking into account both exchange and magnetostatic effects. The presence of a low-lying mode as well as doublet structure with small splitting is demonstrated. Estimates of the mode frequencies for permalloy dots are obtained, and the possibility of experimental detection of such modes is discussed. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.