Field-free deterministic ultra fast creation of skyrmions by spin orbit torques

Bibliographic Details
Title: Field-free deterministic ultra fast creation of skyrmions by spin orbit torques
Authors: Büttner, Felix, Lemesh, Ivan, Schneider, Michael, Pfau, Bastian, Günther, Christian M., Hessing, Piet, Geilhufe, Jan, Caretta, Lucas, Engel, Dieter, Krüger, Benjamin, Viefhaus, Jens, Eisebitt, Stefan, Beach, Geoffrey S. D.
Source: Nature Nanotechnology (2017)
Publication Year: 2017
Collection: Condensed Matter
Subject Terms: Condensed Matter - Materials Science
More Details: Magnetic skyrmions are currently the most promising option to realize current-driven magnetic shift registers. A variety of concepts to create skyrmions were proposed and demonstrated. However, none of the reported experiments show controlled creation of single skyrmions using integrated designs. Here, we demonstrate that skyrmions can be generated deterministically on subnanosecond timescales in magnetic racetracks at artificial or natural defects using spin orbit torque (SOT) pulses. The mechanism is largely similar to SOT-induced switching of uniformly magnetized elements, but due to the effect of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI), external fields are not required. Our observations provide a simple and reliable means for skyrmion writing that can be readily integrated into racetrack devices.
Document Type: Working Paper
DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2017.178
Access URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/1705.01927
Accession Number: edsarx.1705.01927
Database: arXiv
More Details
DOI:10.1038/nnano.2017.178