# Deterministic creation and deletion of a single magnetic skyrmion observed by direct time-resolved X-ray microscopy

## TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the deterministic creation and deletion of single magnetic skyrmions at room temperature using current pulses, observed through time-resolved X-ray microscopy, advancing skyrmion-based memory technology.

## Contribution

It presents the first controlled, deterministic writing and deleting of individual skyrmions at room temperature in ferrimagnetic films using current pulses and direct nanoscale imaging.

## Key findings

- Successful deterministic skyrmion writing and deletion at room temperature.
- Identification of current pulse profiles for efficient skyrmion control.
- Micromagnetic simulations reveal microscopic mechanisms of topological fluctuations.

## Abstract

Spintronic devices based on magnetic skyrmions are a promising candidate for next-generation memory applications due to their nanometre-size, topologically-protected stability and efficient current-driven dynamics. Since the recent discovery of room-temperature magnetic skyrmions, there have been reports of current-driven skyrmion displacement on magnetic tracks and demonstrations of current pulse-driven skyrmion generation. However, the controlled annihilation of a single skyrmion at room temperature has remained elusive. Here we demonstrate the deterministic writing and deleting of single isolated skyrmions at room temperature in ferrimagnetic GdFeCo films with a device-compatible stripline geometry. The process is driven by the application of current pulses, which induce spin-orbit torques, and is directly observed using a time resolved nanoscale X-ray imaging technique. We provide a current-pulse profile for the efficient and deterministic writing and deleting process. Using micromagnetic simulations, we also reveal the microscopic mechanism of the topological fluctuations that occur during this process.

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1706.06726