Abstract

We use polarized neutron scattering to obtain quantitative information about the magnetic state of sub-100 nm circular magnetic dots. Evidence for the transition from a single domain to a vortex state, as a function of the dot diameter and magnetic field, is found from magnetization curves and confirmed by micromagnetic and Monte-Carlo simulations. For 20 nm-thick Fe dots with diameters close to 60 nm, the vortex is the ground state. The magnetization of the vortex core (140±50 emu/cm3) and its diameter (19±4 nm) obtained from polarized neutron scattering are in agreement with simulations. © EPLA, 2009.