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Interface‐Induced Stability of Nontrivial Topological Spin Textures: Unveiling Room‐Temperature Hopfions and Skyrmions

Journal Article · · Advanced Materials
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [3];  [5];  [5];  [4];  [6];  [7];  [3];  [1]
  1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States)
  2. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  3. Koç University, Istanbul (Türkiye)
  4. Universidade Federal de Viçosa (Brazil)
  5. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
  6. United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD (United States)
  7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States); Northeastern University, Boston, MA (United States)

Topological spin configurations, such as soliton-like spin texture and Dirac electron assemblies, have recently emerged in fundamental science and technology. Achieving stable topological spin textures at room temperature is crucial for their use as long-range information carriers. However, their creation and manipulation are hindered by multi-step field training and competing interactions. Thus, a spontaneous ground state for multidimensional topological spin textures is desirable, with skyrmions forming swirling, hedgehog-like spin structures in two dimensions and hopfions as their twisted 3D counterparts. Here, the first observation of robust and reproducible topological spin textures of hopfions and skyrmions observed at room temperature and in zero magnetic field is reported, which are stabilized by geometric confinement and protected by interfacial magnetism in a ferromagnet/topological insulator/ferromagnet trilayer heterostructure. These skyrmion-hopfion configurations are directly observed at room temperature with Lorenz transmission electron microscopy. Using micromagnetic modeling, the experimental observations of hopfion-skyrmion assemblies are reproduced. This model reveals a complete picture of how spontaneously organized skyrmion lattices encircled by hopfion rings are controlled by surface electrons, uniaxial anisotropy, and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. This study provides evidence that topological chiral spin textures can facilitate the development of magnetic topological carriers, paving the way for ultralow-power and high-density information processing.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Army Research Office; National Science Foundation; Office of Naval Research; European Research Council; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725; AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
2584458
Journal Information:
Advanced Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Materials; ISSN 1521-4095; ISSN 0935-9648
Publisher:
WileyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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