Hyperbolic Bloch points in ferrimagnetic exchange spring.

• Bloch points are studied in a magnetic GdCo/NdCo/GdCo' trilayer with engineered interlayer coupling and exchange lengths. • BP polarity and helicity, γ linked to topological charges and magnetostatics, obtained by X-ray vector magnetic tomography. • At bottom GdCo, BPs adopt the standard circulating configuration with helicity γ close to. π / 2. • At top GdCo, BPs adopt an uncommon hyperbolic configuration with high helicity angles within an exchange spring DW. Bloch points in magnetic materials are attractive entities in view of magnetic information transport. Here, Bloch point configuration has been investigated and experimentally determined in a magnetic trilayer (Gd 12 Co 88 /Nd 17 Co 83 /Gd 24 Co 76) with carefully adjusted composition within the ferrimagnetic Gd x Co 1-x alloys in order to engineer saturation magnetization, exchange length, and interlayer couplings (ferromagnetic vs antiferromagnetic). X-ray vector magnetic tomography has allowed us to determine experimentally Bloch point polarity (related to topological charge) and Bloch point helicity γ (determined by magnetostatic energy). At the bottom layer (close to the ferromagnetic interface), Bloch points adopt a standard circulating configuration with helicity γ close to π / 2. Within the top layer (with much lower saturation magnetization), Bloch points nucleate within a Neel-like exchange spring domain wall created by the antiferromagnetic coupling and adopt an uncommon hyperbolic configuration, characterized by much larger helicity angles. Our results indicate a path for Bloch point engineering in future applications adjusting material parameters and domain wall characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]