Filming the formation and fluctuation of skyrmion domains by cryo-Lorentz transmission electron microscopy

Rajeswari, J. et al. (2015) Filming the formation and fluctuation of skyrmion domains by cryo-Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112(46), pp. 14212-14217. (doi: 10.1073/pnas.1513343112) (PMID:26578765) (PMCID:PMC4655529)

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Abstract

The need for denser storage devices calls for new materials and nanostructures capable of confining single bits of information in a few nanometers. A new topological distribution of spins termed skyrmions is emerging, which promises to robustly confine a small magnetization in a few-nanometers-wide circular domain. A great deal of attention is being devoted to the understanding of these magnetic patterns and their manipulation. We manufactured a large nanoslice supporting over 70,000 skyrmions, and film their evolution in direct-space via cryo-Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. We reveal the octagonal distortion of the skyrmion lattice and show how these distortions and other defects impact its long-range order. These results pave the way to the control of a large two-dimensional array of skyrmions.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:No
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:McGrouther, Dr Damien
Authors: Rajeswari, J., Huang, P., Mancini, G. F., Murooka, Y., Latychevskaia, T., McGrouther, D., Cantoni, M., Baldini, E., White, J. S., Magrez, A., Giamarchi, T., Rønnow, H. M., and Carbone, F.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
Journal Name:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Publisher:National Academy of Sciences
ISSN:0027-8424
ISSN (Online):1091-6490

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