Abstract
Topologically nontrivial spin textures, such as skyrmions and dislocations, display emergent electrodynamics and can be moved by spin currents over macroscopic distances. These unique properties and their nanoscale size make them excellent candidates for the development of next-generation race-track memory and unconventional computing. A major challenge for these applications and the investigation of nanoscale magnetic structures in general is the realization of suitable detection schemes. We study magnetic disclinations, dislocations, and domain walls in FeGe and reveal pronounced responses that distinguish them from the helimagnetic background. A combination of magnetic force microscopy (MFM) and micromagnetic simulations links the response to the local magnetic susceptibility, that is, characteristic changes in the spin texture driven by the MFM tip. On the basis of the findings, which we explain using nonlinear response theory, we propose a read-out scheme using superconducting microcoils, presenting an innovative approach for detecting topological spin textures and domain walls in device-relevant geometries.
Highlights
Nontrivial spin textures, such as skyrmions and dislocations, display emergent electrodynamics and can be moved by spin currents over macroscopic distances
The discovery of magnetic skyrmions[1−4] and their emergent physical properties[5−12] propelled the research on topological spin states in solid state systems and motivated new concepts for spintronics devices where skyrmions act as mobile information carriers.[13−16] Skyrmions are intriguing as they are nanoscale objects that efficiently couple to spin currents, enabling high storage density and low-energy control.[4,6,17]
Disclinations, dislocations, and helimagnetic domain walls emerged as a new family of topological nanosystems that naturally arise in the helimagnetic ground state in chiral magnets.[24−27] The emergence of these topological spin textures is enabled by the lamellar-like morphology of the helimagnetic order analogous to, for example, cholesteric liquid crystals,[28] swimming bacteria,[29] and the skin on our palms.[30]
Summary
Mariia Stepanova − Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim 7491, Norway; Center for Quantum Spintronics, Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim 7491, Norway; orcid.org/0000-0003-4592-4293. Erik Lysne − Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim 7491, Norway; Center for Quantum Spintronics, Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim 7491, Norway. Yoshinori Tokura − RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS), Wako 351-0198, Japan; Department of Applied Physics, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; Tokyo College, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113−8656, Japan; orcid.org/0000-0002-2732-4983. Arne Brataas − Center for Quantum Spintronics, Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim 7491, Norway. Author Contributions ⬢M.S., J.M., and E.L. contributed to this work
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