First-principles prediction of sub-10 nm skyrmions in Pd/Fe bilayers on Rh(111)

TL;DR

This study predicts the emergence of stable, sub-10 nm skyrmions in Pd/Fe bilayers on Rh(111) using first-principles calculations, revealing potential for nanoscale magnetic applications.

Contribution

It provides the first-principles prediction of stable, ultra-small skyrmions in Pd/Fe bilayers on Rh(111), expanding the understanding of skyrmion formation in 4d transition-metal systems.

Findings

Skyrmions with diameters of 2 to 8 nm are predicted.

Skyrmions are stable at temperatures up to 45 K.

A skyrmion phase appears at magnetic fields around 1 T.

Abstract

We show that stable skyrmions with diameters of a few nanometers can emerge in atomic Pd/Fe bilayers on the Rh(111) surface. Based on density functional theory we calculate the exchange and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction as well as the magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy. The later two terms are driven by spin-orbit coupling and significantly reduced compared to Pd/Fe bilayers on Ir(111) as expected since Rh and Ir are isoelectronic $4d$ and $5d$ transition-metals. However, there is still a spin spiral ground state at zero magnetic field. Atomistic spin dynamics simulations show that a skyrmion phase occurs at small magnetic fields of $\sim$ 1 T. Skyrmion diameters amount to 2 to 8 nm and skyrmion lifetimes are up to 1 hour at temperatures of 25 to 45 K.