Spin wave mediated magnetic vortex core reversal

Abstract

The magnetic vortex is the simplest, non-trivial ground state configuration of micron and sub-micron sized soft magnetic thin film platelets and therefore an interesting subject for the study of micro magnetism. Essential progress in the understanding of nonlinear vortex dynamics was achieved when low-field core toggling was discovered by excitation of the gyrotropic eigenmode at sub-GHz frequencies. At frequencies more than an order of magnitude higher vortex state structures possess spin wave eigenmodes arising from the magneto-static interaction. We demonstrated, experimentally and by micromagnetic simulations, that the unidirectional vortex core reversal process also occurs when azimuthal spin wave modes are excited in the multi-GHz frequency range. This finding highlights the importance of spin wave – vortex interaction and boosts vortex core reversal to much higher frequencies, which may offer new routes for GHz spintronics applications.