# Stochastic dynamics and pattern formation of geometrically confined skyrmions

## TL;DR

This paper investigates the thermally driven stochastic motion of skyrmions in confined geometries, revealing how short-term fluctuations and long-term interactions influence skyrmion dynamics relevant for memory applications.

## Contribution

It introduces a quasiparticle Monte Carlo method to efficiently model skyrmion ensemble dynamics at finite temperatures in confined geometries.

## Key findings

- Short-range exchange interactions govern intrinsic skyrmion fluctuations.
- Skyrmion-skyrmion repulsion and geometry determine long-term behavior.
- Mobility and observation time affect skyrmion bit addressability.

## Abstract

Ensembles of magnetic skyrmions in confined geometries are shown to exhibit thermally driven motion on two different time scales. The intrinsic fluctuating dynamics ($t\sim 1~$ps) is governed by short-range symmetric and antisymmetric exchange interactions, whereas the long-time limit ($t\gtrsim10\,$ns) is determined by the coaction of skyrmion-skyrmion-repulsion and the system's geometry. Micromagnetic simulations for realistic island shapes and sizes are performed and analyzed, indicating the special importance of skyrmion dynamics at finite temperatures. We demonstrate how the competition between skyrmion mobility and observation time directly affects the addressability of skyrmionic bits, which is a key challenge on the path of developing skyrmion-based room-temperature applications. The presented quasiparticle Monte Carlo approach offers a computationally efficient description of the diffusive motion of skyrmion ensembles in confined geometries, like racetrack memory setups.