Guang Yao : Topological spin textures: creation, manipulation, electrical detection, and beyond

Topological spin textures, such as skyrmions and antiskyrmions, are at the forefront of spintronics research due to their potential for high-density, non-volatile memory and logic devices. Here, we report significant progress spanning the creation, manipulation, electrical readout, and characterization of these quasiparticles. Addressing the challenge of precise nucleation, we demonstrate how local thermal and non-thermal excitations via focused electron beams [1] and soft X-ray illumination [2] can reconfigure antiferromagnetic order to “print” zero-field skyrmions and lattices in exchange-biased multilayers. Extending our study to dynamical manipulation, we visualize the motion of antiskyrmions using in-situ Lorentz transmission electron microscopy, revealing how confinement within helical stripes leads to anisotropic motion and velocity enhancement [3]. Furthermore, addressing the challenge of efficient electrical readout, we realize the detection of single skyrmions integrated into magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), where skyrmions imprinted into the free layer generate distinct magnetoresistive signals [4]. Finally, moving beyond two-dimensional characterizations, we identify three-dimensional topological singularities in ferrimagnetic CoTb thin films, specifically the superposition of emergent magnetic monopoles and antimonopoles formed at the junction of hybrid domain walls [5]. Collectively, these advances provide a comprehensive toolkit for tailoring magnetic topology, establishing a robust foundation for the development of future topological spintronic devices.

[1]     Y.Guang, et al. Advanced Materials 32, 2003003 (2020)
[2]     Y. Guang, et al. Nature Communications 11, 949 (2020)
[3]     Y. Guang, et al. Nature Communications 15, 7701 (2024)
[4]     Y. Guang, et al. Advanced Electronic Materials 9, 2200570 (2023)
[5]     Y. Guang, et al. Physical Review Letters 127, 217201 (2021)