All-magnetic control of skyrmions in nanowires by a spin wave

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how spin waves can control skyrmion motion in nanowires, enabling acceleration, deceleration, and directional turning, which is promising for future skyrmionic device applications.

Contribution

It introduces a method for all-magnetic control of skyrmions in nanowires using spin waves, including their acceleration and directional turning at junctions.

Findings

Skyrmions accelerate and decelerate exponentially under spin wave influence.

Skyrmions can turn at L-corners with predictable direction based on topological charge.

The direction of skyrmion turning depends on its topological number at junctions.

Abstract

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected nanoscale objects, which are promising building blocks for novel magnetic and spintronic devices. Here, we investigate the dynamics of a skyrmion driven by a spin wave in a magnetic nanowire. It is found that (i) the skyrmion is first accelerated and then decelerated exponentially; (ii) it can turn L-corners with both right and left turns; and (iii) it always turns left (right) when the skyrmion number is positive (negative) in the T- and Y-junctions. Our results will be the basis of skyrmionic devices driven by a spin wave.