Switching between Antiferromagnetic and Ferromagnetic Skyrmions in Two-Dimensional Magnets

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates strain-controlled switching between antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic skyrmions in a 2D Janus monolayer, enabling tunable topological magnetic states for spintronic applications.

Contribution

It introduces a method to switch between AFM and FM skyrmions in a 2D material using strain, supported by first-principles calculations and atomistic simulations.

Findings

Compressive strain induces AFM skyrmions in the material.

Tensile strain drives the system into a FM skyrmion phase.

Magnetic fields can transform FM skyrmions into uniform FM phases and AFM skyrmions into AFM bimerons.

Abstract

Antiferromagnetic (AFM) and ferromagnetic (FM) skyrmions possess unique advantages for spintronic applications. AFM skyrmions eliminate the skyrmion Hall effect and exhibit fast dynamics, whereas FM skyrmions are easier to nucleate and manipulate. However, realizing a transition between AFM and FM skyrmions within the same two-dimensional (2D) material has remained elusive. Here, using first-principles calculations and atomistic spin simulations on the Janus monolayer Cr2Ge2Te3S3, we demonstrate that strain-driven modulation of magnetic interactions enables switching between AFM and FM skyrmion phases. A compressive strain of $-3\%$ induces an AFM ground state hosting AFM skyrmions, while a tensile strain of $+2\%$ drives the system into a FM skyrmion phase. Moreover, under an out-of-plane magnetic field, FM skyrmions are rapidly transformed into a uniform FM phase, while AFM skyrmions transform into AFM bimerons under stronger fields. These findings establish a framework for controllable transitions between topological magnetic states in a single 2D material.