Direct observation of temperature dependent vortex dynamics in a La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 micromagnet

Abstract

Although it is well documented that the vortex core in a micromagnet can switch polarization in response to magnetic field pulses, the temperature dependence of this process has not yet been addressed by experiments. Using scanning transmission x-ray microscopy, we investigate the magnetic vortex dynamics in a La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 microplatelet at temperatures ranging from 150K up to TC at 350K. The time-resolved images reveal qualitatively different dynamic regimes as a function of temperature and applied field, as the relative strengths of the micromagnetic energy terms strongly vary over this temperature range. By explicitly accounting for the temperature dependence of the magnetic parameters in our micromagnetic simulations, we found excellent agreement with the experiments over the full measurement range. In line with previous models, the simulations reveal that the vortex core switches polarization when it reaches a critical velocity that mainly depends on the strength of the exchange interaction. It is therefore strongly temperature dependent, thus explaining our observation of the different dynamical regimes.