title: Magnetic switching of nanoscale antidot lattices.
abstract: We investigate the rich magnetic switching properties of nanoscale antidot lattices in the 200 nm regime. In-plane magnetized Fe, Co, and Permalloy (Py) as well as out-of-plane magnetized GdFe antidot films are prepared by a modified nanosphere lithography allowing for non-close packed voids in a magnetic film. We present a magnetometry protocol based on magneto-optical Kerr microscopy elucidating the switching modes using first-order reversal curves. The combination of various magnetometry and magnetic microscopy techniques as well as micromagnetic simulations delivers a thorough understanding of the switching modes. While part of the investigations has been published before, we summarize these results and add significant new insights in the magnetism of exchange-coupled antidot lattices.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Solid State Physics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany; Faculty of Physics and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Lotharstr. 1, 47057 Duisburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wiedwald
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gräfe
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany; IT4Innovations Centre, VSB Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Kristof M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lebecki
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.
authors.forename: Maxim
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skripnik
authors.affiliation: Institute of Solid State Physics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haering
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Gisela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schütz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Solid State Physics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ziemann
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goering
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nowak
keywords: Kerr microscopy; X-ray microscopy; antidot lattice; first-order reversal curves; magnetic nanostructures; magnetic switching; micromagnetic simulations; plasma etching; spin ice