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Antiferromagnetic half-skyrmions and bimerons at room temperature

Author

Listed:
  • Hariom Jani

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Jheng-Cyuan Lin

    (University of Oxford)

  • Jiahao Chen

    (University of Oxford)

  • Jack Harrison

    (University of Oxford)

  • Francesco Maccherozzi

    (Harwell Science and Innovation Campus)

  • Jonathon Schad

    (University of Wisconsin–Madison)

  • Saurav Prakash

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Chang-Beom Eom

    (University of Wisconsin–Madison)

  • A. Ariando

    (National University of Singapore
    National University of Singapore)

  • T. Venkatesan

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Paolo G. Radaelli

    (University of Oxford)

Abstract

In the quest for post-CMOS (complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor) technologies, driven by the need for improved efficiency and performance, topologically protected ferromagnetic ‘whirls’ such as skyrmions1–8 and their anti-particles have shown great promise as solitonic information carriers in racetrack memory-in-logic or neuromorphic devices1,9–11. However, the presence of dipolar fields in ferromagnets, which restricts the formation of ultrasmall topological textures3,6,8,9,12, and the deleterious skyrmion Hall effect, when skyrmions are driven by spin torques9,10,12, have thus far inhibited their practical implementation. Antiferromagnetic analogues, which are predicted to demonstrate relativistic dynamics, fast deflection-free motion and size scaling, have recently become the subject of intense focus9,13–19, but they have yet to be experimentally demonstrated in natural antiferromagnetic systems. Here we realize a family of topological antiferromagnetic spin textures in α-Fe2O3—an Earth-abundant oxide insulator—capped with a platinum overlayer. By exploiting a first-order analogue of the Kibble–Zurek mechanism20,21, we stabilize exotic merons and antimerons (half-skyrmions)8 and their pairs (bimerons)16,22, which can be erased by magnetic fields and regenerated by temperature cycling. These structures have characteristic sizes of the order of 100 nanometres and can be chemically controlled via precise tuning of the exchange and anisotropy, with pathways through which further scaling may be achieved. Driven by current-based spin torques from the heavy-metal overlayer, some of these antiferromagnetic textures could emerge as prime candidates for low-energy antiferromagnetic spintronics at room temperature1,9–11,23.

Suggested Citation

  • Hariom Jani & Jheng-Cyuan Lin & Jiahao Chen & Jack Harrison & Francesco Maccherozzi & Jonathon Schad & Saurav Prakash & Chang-Beom Eom & A. Ariando & T. Venkatesan & Paolo G. Radaelli, 2021. "Antiferromagnetic half-skyrmions and bimerons at room temperature," Nature, Nature, vol. 590(7844), pages 74-79, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:590:y:2021:i:7844:d:10.1038_s41586-021-03219-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03219-6
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Raphael Gruber & Jakub Zázvorka & Maarten A. Brems & Davi R. Rodrigues & Takaaki Dohi & Nico Kerber & Boris Seng & Mehran Vafaee & Karin Everschor-Sitte & Peter Virnau & Mathias Kläui, 2022. "Skyrmion pinning energetics in thin film systems," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Zijing Zhao & Zhi Fang & Xiaocang Han & Shiqi Yang & Cong Zhou & Yi Zeng & Biao Zhang & Wei Li & Zhan Wang & Ying Zhang & Jian Zhou & Jiadong Zhou & Yu Ye & Xinmei Hou & Xiaoxu Zhao & Song Gao & Yangl, 2023. "A general thermodynamics-triggered competitive growth model to guide the synthesis of two-dimensional nonlayered materials," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Dongsheng Song & Weiwei Wang & Shuisen Zhang & Yizhou Liu & Ning Wang & Fengshan Zheng & Mingliang Tian & Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski & Jiadong Zang & Haifeng Du, 2024. "Steady motion of 80-nm-size skyrmions in a 100-nm-wide track," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    4. Mona Bhukta & Takaaki Dohi & Venkata Krishna Bharadwaj & Ricardo Zarzuela & Maria-Andromachi Syskaki & Michael Foerster & Miguel Angel Niño & Jairo Sinova & Robert Frömter & Mathias Kläui, 2024. "Homochiral antiferromagnetic merons, antimerons and bimerons realized in synthetic antiferromagnets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Amal Aldarawsheh & Imara Lima Fernandes & Sascha Brinker & Moritz Sallermann & Muayad Abusaa & Stefan Blügel & Samir Lounis, 2022. "Emergence of zero-field non-synthetic single and interchained antiferromagnetic skyrmions in thin films," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Roméo Juge & Naveen Sisodia & Joseba Urrestarazu Larrañaga & Qiang Zhang & Van Tuong Pham & Kumari Gaurav Rana & Brice Sarpi & Nicolas Mille & Stefan Stanescu & Rachid Belkhou & Mohamad-Assaad Mawass , 2022. "Skyrmions in synthetic antiferromagnets and their nucleation via electrical current and ultra-fast laser illumination," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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