Publication Date
11-30-2018
Department
Ames Laboratory; Materials Science and Engineering; Physics and Astronomy
Campus Units
Materials Science and Engineering, Physics and Astronomy, Ames Laboratory
OSTI ID+
1487217
Report Number
IS-J 9821
DOI
10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b03553
Journal Title
Nano Letters
Volume Number
18
Issue Number
12
First Page
7777
Last Page
7783
Abstract
The promise of magnetic skyrmions in future spintronic devices hinges on their topologically enhanced stability and the ability to be manipulated by external fields. The technological advantages of nonvolatile zero-field skyrmion lattice (SkL) are significant if their stability and reliability can be demonstrated over a broad temperature range. Here, we study the relaxation dynamics including the evolution and lifetime of zero-field skyrmions generated from field cooling (FC) in an FeGe single-crystal plate via in situ Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (L-TEM). Three types of dynamic switching between zero-field skyrmions and stripes are identified and distinguished. Moreover, the generation and annihilation of these metastable skyrmions can be tailored during and after FC by varying the magnetic fields and the temperature. This dynamic relaxation behavior under the external fields provides a new understanding of zero-field skyrmions for their stability and reliability in spintronic applications and also raises new questions for theoretical models of skyrmion systems.
DOE Contract Number(s)
AC02-07CH11358; AC05-00OR22725
Language
en
Department of Energy Subject Categories
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
Publisher
Iowa State University Digital Repository, Ames IA (United States)
Included in
Condensed Matter Physics Commons, Materials Science and Engineering Commons, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Commons
