Abstract
Micromagnetic states are strongly related to sizes of nano-dots. The quasiuniform state becomes unstable and transforms to a new nonuniform state as the diameter of the permalloy circular dot exceeds some critical size. The magnetization curvature increases gradually as the diameter increases. Finally, when the diameter is larger than another critical size, the new nonuniform state becomes unstable and a vortex enters the particle. Hence the new nonuniform state plays an intermediate role in the evolution from the quasiuniform state to the vortex state as the diameter increases. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.