Robust formation of nanoscale magnetic skyrmions in easy-plane thin film multilayers with low damping

TL;DR

This paper reports the experimental creation and characterization of nanoscale skyrmions at room temperature in easy-plane multilayers, highlighting their stability, low damping, and potential for spin-dynamical applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates the formation of stable, nanoscale skyrmions in easy-plane multilayers with low damping and characterizes their magnetic and dynamic properties.

Findings

Room-temperature skyrmions with ~25 nm radius were observed.

Skyrmions are stable in out-of-plane fields up to 200 mT.

Low damping parameter $eta_{G} < 0.04$ was measured.

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate the formation of room-temperature skyrmions with radii of about 25\,nm in easy-plane anisotropy multilayers with interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI). We detect the formation of individual magnetic skyrmions by magnetic force microscopy and find that the skyrmions are stable in out-of-plane fields up to about 200 mT. We determine the interlayer exchange coupling as well as the strength of the interfacial DMI. Additionally, we investigate the dynamic microwave spin excitations by broadband magnetic resonance spectroscopy. From the uniform Kittel mode we determine the magnetic anisotropy and low damping $\alpha_{\mathrm{G}} < 0.04$. We also find clear magnetic resonance signatures in the non-uniform (skyrmion) state. Our findings demonstrate that skyrmions in easy-plane multilayers are promising for spin-dynamical applications.