Thermal evolution of skyrmion formation mechanism in chiral multilayer films

TL;DR

This study investigates how temperature influences the formation of magnetic skyrmions from stripe textures in chiral multilayers, revealing that higher temperatures facilitate skyrmion creation by altering magnetic interactions.

Contribution

It provides a combined experimental and theoretical analysis of the temperature-dependent stripe-to-skyrmion transition in Co/Pt multilayers, highlighting the role of thermal effects and energy barriers.

Findings

Higher temperatures increase skyrmion density.

Thermal evolution of magnetic interactions drives the transition.

Energy barrier to fission governs skyrmion formation.

Abstract

Magnetic skyrmions form in chiral multilayers from the shrinking or fission of elongated stripe textures. Here we report an experimental and theoretical study of the temperature dependence of this stripe-to-skyrmion transition in Co/Pt-based multilayers. Field-reversal magnetometry and Lorentz microscopy experiments over 100 - 350 K establish the increased efficacy of stripe-to-skyrmion fission at higher temperatures - driven primarily by the thermal evolution of key magnetic interactions - thereby enhancing skyrmion density. Atomistic calculations elucidate that the energy barrier to fission governs the thermodynamics of the skyrmion formation. Our results establish a mechanistic picture of the stripe-to-skyrmion transition and advance the use of thermal knobs for efficient skyrmion generation.