Figure 1

Schematic drawing of the field-driven NW-NI system.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 2

The simulated DW structure in a CoFe NW. (A small part of size 500 $\times$ 100 nm${}^2$ is presented.) The magnetization vectors in the region (a) are turned at the angles ${\alpha }_a⩾0.5\pi /2$ and in the region (b) at $0.1\pi /2⩽{\alpha }_b⩽0.5\pi /2$. The regions (a) and (b) are marked by dark tones.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 3

(a) The $A$-type configuration of magnetization in the NW-NI system in an external magnetic field. (b) The potential energy profiles $E_{\mathit{NW}}\left(x_{\mathit{DW}}\right)$ for different external magnetic fields. The solid line 1 is the energy profile at zero field. The solid line 2 is for the critical external field $H_B$ $=$ 47 mT. The dashed line 3 is for the intermediate field 0.5$H_B$. The DW pinning position is indicated schematically by the circle on curve 3. The energy landscape calculated directly from oommf simulations taking into account the effects of DW and NI magnetization disturbance is indicated by circles. (c) The model magnetization distribution in the NW-NI system at $H_{\mathrm{ex}}=H_{\mathrm{nuc}}$, demonstrating the DW pinning on the potential barrier before the NIs. The $S$ state in the NIs’ magnetization was caused by the external magnetic field. (d) The model MFM contrast distribution from the NW-NI system (without nucleating pad) corresponding to the magnetization distribution shown in (c). The white arrow in the MFM image indicates the bright pole, which corresponds to a transverse DW.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 4

(a) The $B$-type configuration of magnetization in the NW-NI system in an external magnetic field. (b) The energy $E_{\mathit{NW}}$ profile for different external magnetic fields. The solid line 1 is the energy profile at zero external field. The dot-dashed line 2 is for the critical magnetic field $H_W$ $=$ 47 mT. The dashed line 3 is for the intermediate field 0.5$H_W$. The DW pinning position is indicated schematically by a circle. (c) The model magnetization distribution at $H_{\mathrm{ex}}=H_{\mathrm{nuc}}$, demonstrating the DW pinning in the potential well between NIs. (d) The normalized model MFM contrast distribution from the NW-NI system (without nucleating pad) corresponding to the magnetization distribution shown in (c). The white arrow in the MFM image indicates the bright pole corresponding to the transverse DW.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 5

(a) The $C$-type configuration of magnetization in the NW-NI system. (b) The energy profile $E_{\mathit{NW}}\left(x_{\mathit{DW}}\right)$ at zero external field. (c) The model magnetization distribution at zero external field (after applying the driving field $H_{\mathrm{ex}}=2.5$ mT) demonstrating the DW pinning on the potential barrier before the NIs. The $S$ state in the NIs’ magnetization is caused by the external magnetic field.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 6

(a) The $D$-type configuration of magnetization in the NW-NI system. (b) The energy profile $E_{\mathit{NW}}\left(x_{\mathit{DW}}\right)$ at zero external field. (c) The model magnetization distribution at zero external field (after applying $H_{\mathrm{ex}}=2.5$ mT) demonstrating the DW pinning in the potential well between NIs.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 7

SEM image of the nanowire-nanoisland system.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 8

MFM images of the NW-NI system after the application of an external magnetic field. (a) Initial state with $A$-type configuration after previous magnetization. (b) MFM image of DW pinned at the barrier near the NIs after applying 30 mT external field (the DW position is indicated by the white arrow). (c) MFM image of the NW-NI system after remagnetization in 56 mT external magnetic field. The arrows at the right side of the pictures show the configuration schemes of the magnetization. The corresponding model MFM images are shown as insets in the lower left corners of the pictures.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 9

MFM images of the NW-NI system after the application of an external magnetic field. (a) Initial state with $B$-type configuration after previous magnetization. (b) MFM image of DW pinned at the well between NIs after applying 30 mT external field (the DW position is indicated by the white arrow). (c) MFM image of the NW-NI system after remagnetization in 56 mT external magnetic field. The arrows at the right side of the pictures show the configuration schemes of the magnetization. The corresponding model MFM images are shown as insets in the lower left corners of the pictures.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 10

MFM images of magnetization reversal of the NW-NI system with $C$- or D-type configuration in an external magnetic field. (a) Initial state after previous magnetization. (b) MFM image of the NW-NI system after applying 30 mT external field. DW pinning was not observed because for this system the pinning field was much less than the nucleating field. The arrows at the right side of the pictures show the configuration schemes of the magnetization. The corresponding model MFM images are shown as insets in the lower left corners of the pictures.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 11

Drawing of the schematic NW-NI logical cell and the coding of the input-output states.Reuse & Permissions