Magnetic skyrmions: materials, manipulation, detection, and applications in spintronic devices

Abstract

Magnetic skyrmions are vortex-like spin configurations that possess nanometric dimensions, topological stability, and high controllability through various external stimuli. Since their first experimental observation in helimagnet MnSi in 2009, magnetic skyrmions have emerged as a highly promising candidate for carrying information in future high-performance, low-energy-consumption, non-volatile information storage, and logical calculation. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of the progress made in the field of magnetic skyrmions, specifically in materials, manipulation, detection, and application in spintronic devices. Firstly, we introduce several representative skyrmion material systems, including chiral magnets, magnetic thin films, centrosymmetric materials, and Van der Waals materials. We then discuss various methods for manipulating magnetic skyrmions, such as electric current and electric field, as well as detecting them, mainly through electrical means such as the magnetoresistance effect. Furthermore, we explore device applications based on magnetic skyrmions, such as track memory, logic computing, and neuromorphic devices. Finally, we summarize the challenges faced in skyrmion research and provide future perspectives.

Realization of 2D Multiferroic with Strong Magnetoelectric Coupling by Intercalation: A First-principles High-throughput Prediction

“…Moreover, the diameter of anti-skyrmions decreases with the increase of magnetic eld, i.e., from 8.9 nm at 2.4 T to 3.8 nm at 3.17 T, which is much smaller than the reported diameters of 2D Cr(I, Cl) 3 (10.5 nm at 0.8 T), 37 Cr 2 Ge 2 Te 6 (77 nm at 0.2 T), 38 and the typical size of skyrmions in thin lms (10 to 100 nm). 39 Compared to domain walls in racetrack memory, the smaller size of skyrmions allows for faster data ow or higher data throughput with the same current density, resulting in higher information density. Therefore, T-CdCr 2 Te 4 stands out as an excellent candidate for low-power consumption spintronic devices.…”

From electronic structure to magnetism and skyrmions

“…The DM interaction favors non-collinear magnetic orders with a certain chirality defined by the DM vectors ⃗ D ij and, historically, was proposed in [74,75] to explain the phenomenon of canted magnetism in α-Fe 2 O 3 , MnCO 3 and CoCO 3 . For certain crystal symmetries, it can even stabilize topogical magnetic textures with a size below a hundred nanometers (for reviews see [76][77][78][79][80]). More details about the requirements on symmetry are given in section 4 of this review.…”

“…Several material classes with different types of topological magnetic textures are known (see e.g. reviews [76][77][78][79][80]) and searching for new systems of that kind is an on-going effort in the research community. 111) multilayer at increasing applied magnetic field.…”

Skyrmion based universal logic gates and computation operation

“…Due to their non-collinear spin structure, they cannot be easily deformed into trivial topological states [4]. As a result, they are considered as potential candidates for novel spintronic devices, such as logic devices [9,10] information storage [9] etc. Experimentally, roomtemperature skyrmions have been observed [11,12] and a control movement of them by applying an electric current is also reported [13][14][15][16].…”