Figure 1.

Sketch of the different concepts described in literature for the directed transport of SPBs above magnetically patterned substrates via dynamic transformation of the SPB’s magnetic potential energy landscape $U_{SPB,z}(x,z)$ at a distance $z$ to the substrate surface: (a,b) SPBs initially located above the domain wall of a ferromagnetic (F) layer (arrows indicate the $x$-component of the substrate’s magnetization) are transported due to the magnetization reversal of the substrate via domain wall movement in the presence of an external magnetic field $H_{ex,x}$; (c,d) The superposition of the MFL above topographic micro magnets with a time-dependent external magnetic field causes the dynamic transformation of the SPB’s magnetic potential energy landscape and hence, a directed movement of the SPB in the presence of $H_{ex,z}$ without modification of the substrate’s remanent magnetic state.