Real-space topology-engineering of skyrmionic spin textures in a van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3GaTe2

TL;DR

This study demonstrates real-space engineering of skyrmionic spin textures in a room-temperature 2D ferromagnet Fe3GaTe2, enabling tailored topological magnetic structures for spintronic applications.

Contribution

It introduces a method to artificially create and manipulate skyrmions with different topological charges in Fe3GaTe2 using magnetic force microscopy.

Findings

Skyrmion lattice realized via field-cooling process.

Skyrmions can be erased and painted with tip stray fields.

Topological skyrmion junctions (TSJs) are controllably formed.

Abstract

Realizing magnetic skyrmions in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnets offers unparalleled prospects for future spintronic applications. The room-temperature ferromagnet Fe3GaTe2 provides an ideal platform for tailoring these magnetic solitons. Here, skyrmions of distinct topological charges are artificially introduced and spatially engineered using magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The skyrmion lattice is realized by specific field-cooling process, and can be further controllably erased and painted via delicate manipulation of tip stray field. The skyrmion lattice with opposite topological charges (S = +1 or -1) can be tailored at the target regions to form topological skyrmion junctions (TSJs) with specific configurations. The delicate interplay of TSJs and spin-polarized device current were finally investigated via the in-situ transport measurements, alongside the topological stability of TSJs. Our results demonstrate that Fe3GaTe2 not only serves as a potential building block for room-temperature skyrmion-based spintronic devices, but also presents promising prospects for Fe3GaTe2-based heterostructures with the engineered topological spin textures.