Abstract
Magnetic skyrmions are a new form of magnetic ordering with whirlpool-like spin arrangements. These topologically protected particlelike spin textures were first discovered a decade ago in noncentrosymmetric magnetic materials. Confining magnetic skyrmions in nanostructures leads to interesting fundamental insights into skyrmion stability and could provide convenient platforms for potential practical applications of skyrmions in information storage technology. In this research update, we summarize the recent advances on studying magnetic skyrmions in nanostructures of skyrmion hosting noncentrosymmetric materials (especially the B20 materials) made via bottom-up synthesis or top-down fabrication methods. We discuss various real space imaging (such as Lorentz transmission electron microscopy or electron holography) or physical property measurement (such as magneto-transport) techniques that have been used to observe and detect these exotic magnetic domains in both nanostructure and bulk samples, which have proven to be critical to fully understanding them. We examine the importance of morphology and dimensionality of skyrmion hosting materials in stabilizing isolated magnetic skyrmions in confined geometry and their benefits for implementation in magnetic memory applications. We further highlight the need for experiments that allow the skyrmion research to move from the fundamental physics of skyrmion formation and dynamics to more applied device studies and eventual applications, such as the all-electrical writing and reading of skyrmions needed for skyrmion-based high density magnetic memory storage devices.
Highlights
Understanding the role of topology in materials science and condensed matter physics has become an exploding field of research in the last few decades
An overview of the discovery of the magnetic scitation.org/journal/apm skyrmion as well as the experimental methods used to detect these exotic magnetic textures in noncentrosymmetric materials either in bulk or as nanostructures is presented in this research update
Significant progress in the field of skyrmion research has led to the determination of enhanced stability, electrical detection, and current-driven dynamics of skyrmions, especially in nanostructures of metal silicides and germanides with the B20 crystal structure, using several measurement techniques as discussed
Summary
Understanding the role of topology in materials science and condensed matter physics has become an exploding field of research in the last few decades. Where m is the local magnetic moment.[5] Based on the integral value of the skyrmion number and symmetry of the crystal structure, topologically nontrivial spin textures including magnetic skyrmions could have different internal spin arrangements.[2,5] A skyrmion lattice and nanometer size skyrmion domain were first reported for a Bloch-type skyrmion which was experimentally found in metal monosilicides with a noncentrosymmetric B20 crystal structure [Fig. 1(c)].5,6 This first experimental observation of magnetic skyrmions was in a single crystal of MnSi with the cubic B20 crystal structure using small angle neutron scattering (SANS).[5] These experiments revealed scattering patterns with 6-fold symmetry in the temperature and magnetic field region of the so-called “A-phase” (magnetic skyrmion phase) of MnSi [Fig. 1(d)]. This research update brings attention to the detection of individual or clusters of confined skyrmions by solely electrical means which could be integrated with writing and reading device components for prototypes of the envisioned skyrmion-based racetrack memory devices
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