Shifting and pinning of a magnetic vortex core in a permalloy dot by a magnetic field

Abstract

Magnetic pinning in thin films seems to be a major research subject in the near future, as it is involved in all switching processes which include a movement of a domain wall or a magnetic vortex. We used Lorentz transmission electron microscopy and vortex pinning at artificial pinning sites to investigate the pinning behavior of magnetic vortices for the first time with high spatial resolution. © 2005 The American Physical Society.