Magnetic vortices in nanodots own a switchable circulation sense. These nontrivial magnetization configurations can be arranged into extended and interacting patterns. We have experimentally created large arrays of magnetically reconfigurable vortex patterns in nonplanar honeycomb lattices using particle lithography. Optimizing height asymmetry of the vertices and applying an in-plane magnetic field provide means to switch between homocircular and staggered vortex patterns with a potentially high impact on magnonics and spintronics relying on chiral noncollinear spin textures. To this end, exchange coupling of extended vortex lattices with an out-of-plane magnetized layer allows one to realize artificial skyrmionic core textures with controllable circulation and topological properties in extended exchange coupled honeycomb lattices that may pave the way towards magnetic memory and logic devices based on artificial skyrmions.

• Received 9 December 2014
• Revised 8 September 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.92.104431