Room-temperature observation and current control of skyrmions in Pt/Co/Os/Pt thin films

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the existence and controllability of magnetic skyrmions at room temperature in Pt/Co/Os/Pt thin films, highlighting their potential for spintronic applications due to low current requirements and observable Hall effects.

Contribution

First observation of room-temperature skyrmions in Pt/Co/Os/Pt heterostructures and demonstration of their current-driven displacement and Hall effect.

Findings

Skyrmions have an average diameter of 2.3 μm.

Skyrmions can be moved with current densities as low as 2x10^4 A/cm^2.

Skyrmions exhibit a Hall effect during current-driven motion.

Abstract

We report the observation of room-temperature magnetic skyrmions in Pt/Co/Os/Pt thin-film heterostructures and their response to electric currents. The magnetic properties are extremely sensitive to inserting thin Os layers between the Co-Pt interface resulting in reduced saturation magnetization, magnetic anisotropy and Curie temperature. The observed skyrmions exist in a narrow temperature, applied-field and layer-thickness range near the spin-reorientation transition from perpendicular to in-plane magnetic anisotropy. The skyrmions have an average diameter of 2.3{\mu}m and transport measurements demonstrate these features can be displaced with current densities as low as J = 2x10^4 A/cm^2 and display a skyrmion Hall effect.