Electrical measurement of magnetic-field-impeded polarity switching of a ferromagnetic vortex core

© 2016 American Physical Society. Vortex core polarity switching in NiFe disks has been evidenced using an all-electrical magnetoresistive rectification scheme. Simulation and experiments yield a consistent rectified signal loss when driving core gyration at high powers. With increasing power, the frequency range over which the loss occurs grows and the resonance downshifts in frequency, consistent with nonlinear core dynamics and periodic core polarity switching induced by the core reaching its critical velocity. Core-polarity-dependent rectification signals enable an independent verification of the switched core polarity. We also demonstrate the ability to impede core polarity switching by displacing the core towards the disk's edge where an increased core stiffness reduces the core velocity.