Stabilization of Magnetic Skyrmions on Arrays of Self-Assembled Hexagonal Nanodomes for Magnetic Recording Applications

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the first stabilization of magnetic skyrmions on self-assembled hexagonal nanodomes, enabling potential ultra-dense data storage with stable, low-energy skyrmionic textures at zero field.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method for stabilizing and controlling skyrmions on nanodome arrays, advancing skyrmion-based device development.

Findings

Stable skyrmions observed at zero magnetic field.

Skyrmions follow the nanodome topography.

Proposed method for skyrmion nucleation and annihilation.

Abstract

Magnetic skyrmions are nontrivial spin textures which resist external perturbations, being promising candidates for the next generation recording devices. Nevertheless, a major challenge in realizing skyrmion-based devices is the stabilization of ordered arrays of these spin textures under ambient conditions and zero applied field. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the formation and stabilization of magnetic skyrmions on arrays of self-assembled hexagonal nanodomes taking advantage of the intrinsic properties of its curved geometry. Magnetic force microscopy images from the arrays of 100 nm nanodomes showed stable skyrmions at zero field that are arranged following the topography of the nanostructure. Micromagnetic simulations are compared to the experiments to determine the correlation of the domain textures with the topography of the samples. We propose a simple method to nucleate and annihilate skyrmions, opening the possibility for ultra-dense data storage based on the high stability and low energy consumption of the skyrmionic textures.