Imaging and manipulation of skyrmion lattice domains in Cu2OSeO3

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the imaging and manipulation of skyrmion lattice domains in Cu2OSeO3 using resonant magnetic x-ray diffraction, highlighting potential for low-energy, high-density memory applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel imaging technique for skyrmion domains and shows electric field-driven manipulation in an insulating material.

Findings

Successful mapping of skyrmion lattice domains

Electric field can manipulate skyrmion domains

Potential for skyrmion-based memory devices

Abstract

Nanoscale chiral skyrmions in noncentrosymmetric helimagnets are promising binary state variables in high-density, low-energy nonvolatile memory. Skyrmions are ubiquitous as an ordered, single-domain lattice phase, which makes it difficult to write information unless they are spatially broken up into smaller units, each representing a bit. Thus, the formation and manipulation of skyrmion lattice domains is a prerequisite for memory applications. Here, using an imaging technique based on resonant magnetic x-ray diffraction, we demonstrate the mapping and manipulation of skyrmion lattice domains in Cu2OSeO3. The material is particularly interesting for applications owing to its insulating nature, allowing for electric field-driven domain manipulation.