Control and tunability of magnetic bubble states in multilayers with strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy at ambient conditions

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how to stabilize and control magnetic bubble states in multilayer films with high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy at room temperature, using external magnetic fields and angles, enabling potential multidimensional magnetic memory applications.

Contribution

The paper introduces a systematic method to stabilize and tune remanent magnetic bubble states in multilayers at ambient conditions, supported by magnetometry and micromagnetic simulations.

Findings

Maximum bubble density achieved at specific field strength and angle.

Remanent bubble states can be precisely tuned via external magnetic parameters.

Micromagnetic simulations elucidate the influence of nanoscale grain structure.

Abstract

The reversal of magnetic bubble helicity through topologically trivial transient states provides an additional degree of freedom that promises the development of multidimensional magnetic memories. A key requirement for this concept is the stabilization of bubble states at ambient conditions on application-compatible substrates. In the present work we demonstrate a stabilization routine for remanent bubble states in high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy [(Co(0.44\,nm)/Pt(0.7\,nm)]$_X$, X = 48, 100, 150 multilayers on Si/SiO$_2$ substrates by exploring the effect of external magnetic fields ($H_\mathrm{m}$) of different strength and angles ($\theta$) with respect to the film surface normal. By systematic variation of these two parameters, we demonstrate that remanent bubble density and mean bubble diameter can be carefully tuned and optimized for each sample. Our protocol based on magnetometry only reveals the densest remanent bubble states at $H_\mathrm{m} = 0.87 H_\mathrm{s}$ ($H_\mathrm{s}$ is the magnetic saturation field) and $\theta=60^\circ - 75^\circ$ for all $X$ with a maximum of 3736 domains/100 $\mu$m$^2$ for the X = 48 sample. The experimental observations are supported by micromagnetic simulations taking into account the nanoscale lateral grain structure of multilayers synthesized by magnetron sputter deposition, and thus helping understand the different density of the bubble states found in these systems.