Skyrmion Generation in a Plasmonic Nanoantenna through the Inverse Faraday Effect

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the generation of magnetic skyrmions in a plasmonic nanostructure via the inverse Faraday effect, opening new avenues for ultrafast magnetic data manipulation at the nanoscale.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to create skyrmionic structures using a gold nanoring and localized light polarization control, integrating optics and magnetism at the nanoscale.

Findings

Gold nanoring can generate skyrmionic magnetic structures.

Counter-propagating photocurrents enable magnetization support.

Potential for ultrafast magnetic data applications.

Abstract

Skyrmions are topological structures characterized by a winding vectorial configuration that provides a quantized topological charge. In magnetic materials, skyrmions are localized spin textures that exhibit unique stability and mobility properties, making them highly relevant to the burgeoning field of spintronics. In optics, these structures open new frontiers in manipulating and controlling light at the nanoscale. The convergence of optics and magnetics holds therefore immense potential for manipulating magnetic processes at ultrafast timescales. Here, we explore the possibility of generating skyrmionic topological structures within the magnetic field induced by the inverse Faraday effect in a plasmonic nanostructure. Our investigation reveals that a gold nanoring, featuring a dark mode, can generate counter-propagating photocurrents between its inner and outer segments, thereby enabling the magnetization of gold and supporting a skyrmionic vectorial distribution. We elucidate that these photocurrents arise from the localized control of light polarization, facilitating their counter-propagative motion. The generation of skyrmions through the inverse Faraday effect at the nanoscale presents a pathway towards directly integrating this topology into magnetic layers. This advancement holds promise for ultrafast timescales, offering direct applications in ultrafast data writing and processing.