Unusual spin-wave dynamics in core-shell magnetic nanodisks

TL;DR

This study uses micromagnetic simulations to explore how core-shell magnetic nanodisks exhibit unique spin-wave dynamics, leading to faster vortex core reversal than homogeneous disks, with potential implications for magnetic data storage.

Contribution

It reveals that higher order spin-wave modes in core-shell nanodisks enable significantly faster vortex core reversal compared to fundamental modes and homogeneous disks.

Findings

Higher order modes drive faster vortex core reversal.

Core-shell structure confines spin waves, enhancing reversal speed.

Nonlinear dynamics cause mode frequency redshifting.

Abstract

We investigated the spin dynamics of a vortex state in a core-shell magnetic nanodisk driven by an oscillating field applied perpendicular to the disk plane by means of micromagnetic simulations. The nanodisk comprises a Py (Fe0.2Ni0.8) core of 100 nm in radius, surrounded by a 50 nm thick Fe shell. Fourier transform analyses show that the Py core and the Fe shell dominate spin-wave oscillation at the fundamental and higher order radial modes, respectively. For oscillating driving field tuned to the fundamental eigenfrequency, the Py/Fe interface effectively confines spin-wave excitation in the Py core region. This effect leads to significantly more rapid vortex core (VC) reversal in comparison to homogeneous disks. Our work demonstrates that the higher order modes can drive much faster VC reversal than the fundamental mode, in sharp contrast to the results obtained in homogeneous disks. With excitation levels up to 30 mT, we find strong nonlinear spin-wave dynamics in the system, which results in mode frequency redshifting, therefore the observation of the most rapid VC reversals below eigenfrequencies and VC switching in wide ranges of frequencies.