We study how micromagnetic calculations can be applied to processes that involve a singularity of the magnetization field, namely, the Bloch point. In order to allow for comparison with recent experiments, we consider Permalloy thin-film disks supporting a vortex magnetic configuration. The structure of the Bloch point at rest in the middle of the core of the vortex is studied first, comparing the evolution of the calculation results under decreasing mesh size to analytical results. The reversal of the core of the vortex under a field applied perpendicularly to the disk plane is then investigated. We apply two different procedures to evaluate switching fields and processes: direct micromagnetic time-dependent calculation, and the evaluation of the energy barrier that separates the two orientations of the vortex core in the configuration space, using a path method. Both methods show the occurrence of Bloch points during reversal. Special attention is paid to the extrapolation towards zero mesh size of the numerical results. The calculations are confronted to experimental values from Okuno et al. [J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 240, 1 (2002)]. We conclude that defects and thermal agitation are likely to assist Bloch-point injection, hence lowering the switching fields.

The magnetization reversal in exchange-biased ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic (FM-AFM) bilayers is investigated. Different reversal pathways on each branch of the hysteresis loop, i.e., asymmetry, are obtained both experimentally and theoretically when the magnetic field is applied at certain angles from the anisotropy direction. The range of angles and the magnitude of this asymmetry are determined by the ratio between the FM anisotropy and the interfacial FM-AFM exchange anisotropy. The occurrence of asymmetry is linked with the appearance of irreversibility, i.e., finite coercivity, as well as with the maximum of exchange bias, increasing for larger anisotropy ratios. Our results indicate that asymmetric hysteresis loops are intrinsic to exchange-biased systems and the competition between anisotropies determines the asymmetric behavior of the magnetization reversal.

We demonstrate magnetic field control of surface plasmon excitations in noble-metal/ferromagnetic/noble metal trilayers, analogous to the effects previously observed in semiconductor structures. We show that the coupling of an external magnetic field to the surface plasmon-polariton wave vector is greatly enhanced in the metallic structure due to the ferromagnetic nature of one of its constituents. The observed coupling could be used to modulate the surface plasmon response in ultrasensitive spectroscopic applications.