Writing and deleting skyrmions with electric fields in a multiferroic heterostructure

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to reliably write and delete magnetic skyrmions using electric fields in a multiferroic heterostructure, combining first-principles calculations and Ginzburg-Landau theory to control topological spin textures.

Contribution

It introduces a novel electric-field-based process for skyrmion manipulation in a specific heterostructure, advancing skyrmionics technology.

Findings

Electric field controls polarization and DMI in the heterostructure.

Skyrmion creation and deletion are achieved via DMI modulation.

Potential for quantum effects and device applications in skyrmionics.

Abstract

Magnetic skyrmions are topological spin textures that can be used as information carriers for the next-generation information storage and processing. The electric-field controlling of skyrmions in such devices is essential but remains technologically challenging. Here, using the first-principles calculation and the Ginzburg-Landau theory, we propose a reliable process for writing and deleting skyrmions by electric fields, on the platform of a multiferroic heterostructure, particularly the $\text{Cr}_{2}\text{Ge}_{2}\text{Te}_{6} $/$ \text{In}_{2}\text{Se}_{3} $ heterostructure. We show that the electric field controls the electric polarization and indirectly influences the antisymmetric Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) between the magnetic moments. The latter is responsible for the generation and removal of the skyrmion spin textures, and we study this mechanism by the Ginzburg-Landau analysis. We discuss the real-space Berry curvature, topological Hall effects, possible quantum anomalous Hall effect, and other competing magnetic structures. These results represent examples of quantum technology and may have potential applications in future skyrmionics and the device fabrication.