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Quantifying chiral exchange interaction for Néel-type skyrmions via Lorentz transmission electron microscopy

Journal Article · · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [4];  [8];  [9];  [10];  [4];  [4];  [4]
  1. Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China); Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
  2. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); City Univ. (CUNY), NY (United States)
  3. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Bryn Mawr College, PA (United States)
  4. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
  5. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)
  6. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Oakland Univ., Rochester, MI (United States)
  7. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)
  8. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China)
  9. Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States)
  10. Bryn Mawr College, PA (United States)
Magnetic skyrmions are topological spin textures that have been observed in bulk magnets and magnetic multilayers. For bulk magnetic materials, their noncollinear spin profiles have often been studied by using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We experimentally utilized Lorentz TEM imaging to study an inversion asymmetric [Pt(1.5nm)/Co(1 nm)/W(1 nm)]8 heterostructure that exhibits Neel-type skyrmions at zero field. By tracking the evolution of skyrmion diameters as a function of magnetic fields, we determined the strength of the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI). Our results suggest that in situ Lorentz TEM imaging combined with simulations can provide valuable quantitative information about the interfacial DMI strengths, which can be helpful for optimizing skyrmion materials. Furthermore, we show that in theory, Lorentz TEM can identify the spin chirality of Neel-type skyrmions, although an experimental verification is challenging due to the relatively low signal-to-noise ratio.
Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Key Research and Development Program of China; National Science Foundation of China; National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science - Office of Basic Energy Sciences - Materials Sciences and Engineering Division
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1503253
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1497748
Journal Information:
Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter, Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 99; ISSN 0163-1829
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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