Stability of magnetic vortices in flat submicron permalloy cylinders

We have investigated the magnetic properties of flat permalloy cylinders by Lorentz transmission electron microscopy and micromagnetic simulations. The magnetization patterns during in situ magnetizing experiments have been imaged and they revealed that the magnetization reversal of the cylindrically shaped dots investigated is determined by the formation and annihilation of magnetic vortices. Furthermore, the experiments and micromagnetic simulations showed a dependence of the vortex annihilation field not only on the aspect ratio but also on the absolute thickness of the cylinders. The diameter of the cylindrical dots was varied between 150 and 1000 nm, and the thicknesses were 3, 5.5, 8.3, 15, and 20 nm, respectively. The formation of inhomogeneous magnetization patterns prior to vortex evolution was observed and by a comparison of the experimental to simulated Fresnel images these patterns can be identified as S- and C-like states. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.