Electric-field-induced multiferroic topological solitons.

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Spintronics

Background:

• Antiferromagnetic skyrmions offer advantages over ferromagnets for solitonic information technologies, including immunity to dipolar fields and ultrafast dynamics.
• Controlling topological objects in antiferromagnets remains a significant challenge, hindering their technological application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the electrical control and stabilization of topological antiferromagnetic states in multiferroic materials.
• To explore the potential of magnetoelectric multiferroics for writing, detecting, and erasing topological antiferromagnetic entities.

Main Methods:

• Stabilization of ferroelectric center states using a radial electric field in multiferroic BiFeO3 thin films.
• Analysis of antiferromagnetic spin cycloid flux closures and distinct core entities under varying electric field polarities.
• Tuning epitaxial strain to electrically design canted antiferromagnetic domains.

Main Results:

• Ferroelectric center states were successfully stabilized in BiFeO3 thin films via radial electric fields.
• Polar textures containing flux closures of antiferromagnetic spin cycloids were observed, with core structures dependent on electric field polarity.
• Electrically designable canted antiferromagnetic domains were achieved by tuning epitaxial strain.

Conclusions:

• The study demonstrates the ability to electrically write and manipulate topological antiferromagnetic states in multiferroic BiFeO3.
• These findings open new avenues for creating reconfigurable topological states in magnetoelectric antiferromagnets for future spintronic applications.