Circular single domains in hemispherical small size Permalloy clusters

TL;DR

This study investigates small hemispherical Permalloy clusters, revealing vortex spin configurations influenced by Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions, with implications for magnetoresistance applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates the presence of topological vortices in small hemispherical Permalloy clusters and links their magnetic behavior to Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions.

Findings

Vortex spin configurations observed in ~80nm clusters.

Magnetization loops similar to larger nanodisks.

Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction influences ground state.

Abstract

We have studied ferromagnetic Permalloy clusters obtained by electrodeposition on n-type silicon. Magnetization measurements reveal hysteresis loops almost independent on temperature and very similar in shape to those obtained in nanodisks with diameter bigger than 150nm. The spin configuration for the ground state, obtained by micromagnetic simulation, shows topological vortices with random chirality and polarization. This behaviour in the small diameter clusters (~80nm), is attributed to the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction that arises in its hemispherical geometries. This magnetization behaviour can be utilized to explain the magnetoresistance measured with magnetic field in plane and out of sample plane.