Collective topological spin dynamics in a correlated spin glass

TL;DR

This paper reveals unique collective topological spin dynamics in a correlated spin glass within multiferroic GeMnTe films, demonstrating ultra-low current-induced magnetic switching and the controlled creation of topological spin textures.

Contribution

It introduces a novel observation of collective spin-glass behavior and a new method to control topological spin textures called 'skyrmiverres' in multiferroic materials.

Findings

Magnetic order reverses with ultra-low current pulses.

Magnetic switching propagates coherently over large distances.

Detection of spatiotemporal nucleation of topological spin textures.

Abstract

The interplay between spin-orbit interaction (SOI) and magnetic order is currently one of the most active research fields in condensed matter physics and leading the search for materials with novel and tunable magnetic and spin properties. Here we report on a variety of unexpected and unique observations in thin multiferroic \Ge$_{1-x}$Mn$_x$Te films. The ferrimagnetic order in this ferroelectric semiconductor is found to reverse with current pulses six orders of magnitude lower as for typical spin-orbit torque systems. Upon a switching event, the magnetic order spreads coherently and collectively over macroscopic distances through a correlated spin-glass state. Lastly, we present a novel methodology to controllably harness this stochastic magnetization dynamics, allowing us to detect spatiotemporal nucleation of topological spin textures we term ``skyrmiverres''.