Néel Skyrmion Bubbles in La_0.7Sr_0.3Mn_1–xRu_xO₃ Multilayers

Abstract

epitaxial multilayers with controlled variation of the Ru/Mn content were synthesized to engineer canted magnetic anisotropy and variable exchange interactions, and to explore the possibility of generating a Dzyaloshinskii−Moriya interaction. The ultimate aim of the multilayer design is to provide the conditions for the formation of domains with nontrivial magnetic topology in an oxide thin film system. Employing magnetic force microscopy and Lorentz transmission electron microscopy in varying perpendicular magnetic fields, magnetic stripe domains separated by Neél-type domain walls as well as Neél skyrmions smaller than 100 nm in diameter were observed. These findings are consistent with micromagnetic modeling, taking into account a sizable Dzyaloshinskii−Moriya interaction arising from the inversion symmetry breaking and possibly from strain effects in the multilayer system.