Magnetic neutron scattering by magnetic vortices in thin submicron-sized soft ferromagnetic cylinders

Using analytical expressions for the magnetization textures of thin submicron-sized magnetic cylinders in vortex state, we derive closed-form algebraic expressions for the ensuing small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) cross sections. Specifically, for the perpendicular and parallel scattering geometries, we have computed the magnetic SANS cross sections for the case of small vortex-center displacements without formation of magnetic charges on the side faces of the cylinder. The results represent a significant qualitative and quantitative step forward in SANS-data analysis on isolated magnetic nanoparticle systems, which are commonly assumed to be homogeneously or stepwise-homogeneously magnetized. We suggest a way to extract the fine details of the magnetic vortex structure during the magnetization process from the SANS measurements in order to help resolving the long standing question of the magnetic vortex displacement mode.