title: Magnetic bistability of Co nanodots.
abstract: Size-dependent magnetic single-domain versus vortex state stability of Co/Ru(0001) nanodots is explored with spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy, analytical modeling, and micromagnetic simulations. We show that both single-domain and vortex states can be stabilized in a broad region near the phase boundary. The calculated width of the bistability region and temperature dependent heights of the energy barriers between both states agree well with our experimental findings.
authors.affiliation: Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA.
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Dongqi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: K Yu
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Guslienko
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bader