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Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope
Published on: March 24, 2019
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Antiferromagnetic Skyrmion: Stability, Creation and Manipulation
Xichao Zhang1,2, Yan Zhou1,2, Motohiko Ezawa3
1Department of Physics, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Scientific Reports
|April 22, 2016
Summary
Researchers introduce antiferromagnetic (AFM) skyrmions, topologically protected particles that avoid the skyrmion Hall effect (SkHE). These AFM skyrmions move straight when driven by spin currents, paving the way for novel spintronic devices.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Spintronics
Background:
- Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected excitations in ferromagnets exhibiting the skyrmion Hall effect (SkHE) due to topological properties and Magnus force.
- The SkHE causes undesirable transverse motion, limiting applications of magnetic skyrmions in spintronic devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and demonstrate the creation and behavior of antiferromagnetic (AFM) skyrmions as a potential alternative to magnetic skyrmions.
- To investigate methods for generating AFM skyrmions and analyze their motion characteristics, particularly the absence of SkHE.
Main Methods:
- Micromagnetic lattice simulations were employed to explore the creation of AFM skyrmions.
- Two distinct methods were simulated: injecting spin-polarized current into an AFM nanodisk and converting an AFM domain-wall pair in a nanowire junction.
Main Results:
- Antiferromagnetic skyrmions were successfully created using the proposed simulation methods.
- AFM skyrmions demonstrated straight-line motion over long distances when driven by spin-polarized currents, owing to the absence of the SkHE.
- The topological protection of AFM skyrmions was confirmed.
Conclusions:
- Antiferromagnetic skyrmions represent a topologically protected particle-like excitation in antiferromagnets.
- The absence of the skyrmion Hall effect in AFM skyrmions enables straight-line motion, offering advantages for spintronic applications.
- This research opens new avenues for designing advanced spintronic devices utilizing antiferromagnetic materials.
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