We have calculated hysteresis loops, magnetisation patterns and stray fields over antidot samples, and whilst three-dimensional micromagnetic simulations will always be the most accurate way of simulating these shapes, it is not always practical.
In certain situations, particularly where a large simulation domain is desirable, a two-dimensional simulation which accurately reflects the three-dimensional physical sample can offer insight into the magnetisation patterns and in particular the stray field patterns in these physical samples.
In addition, the strong similarity between the experimental MFM results and the computed stray field from the simulation allows us to conclude that the two-dimensional model is a reasonably accurate reflection of the three-dimensional experimental system.