  Nanodots with magnetic vortices have many potential applications, such as
magnetic memories (VRAMs) and spin transfer nano-oscillators (STNOs). Adding a
perpendicular anisotropy term to the magnetic energy of the nanodot it becomes
possible to tune the vortex core properties. This can be obtained, e.g., in Co
nanodots by varying the thickness of the Co layer in a Co/Pt stack. Here we
discuss the spin configuration of circular and elliptical nanodots for
different perpendicular anisotropies; we show for nanodisks that micromagnetic
simulations and analytical results agree. Increasing the perpendicular
anisotropy, the vortex core radii increase, the phase diagrams are modified and
new configurations appear; the knowledge of these phase diagrams is relevant
for the choice of optimum nanodot dimensions for applications. MFM measurements
on Co/Pt multilayers confirm the trend of the vortex core diameters with
varying Co layer thicknesses.
