Imaging and manipulation of skyrmion lattice domains in Cu2OSeO3

Nanoscalechiralskyrmions in noncentrosymmetric helimagnets are promising binary state variables in high-density, low-energy nonvolatile memory.Skyrmions are ubiquitous as an ordered, single-domain lattice phase, which makes it difficult to write information unless they are spatially broken up into smaller units, each representing a bit. Thus, the formation and manipulation ofskyrmion lattice domains is a prerequisite for memory applications. Here, using an imaging technique based on resonant magneticx-ray diffraction, we demonstrate the mapping and manipulation ofskyrmion lattice domains in Cu2OSeO3. Thematerial is particularly interesting for applications owing to its insulating nature, allowing for electric field-driven domain manipulation.

Source: Applied Physics Letters - November 8, 2016 Category: Physics Authors: S. L. Zhang, A. Bauer, H. Berger, C. Pfleiderer, G. van der Laan and T. Hesjedal Source Type: research