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Title: Controllable Skyrmionic Phase Transition between Néel Skyrmions and Bloch Skyrmionic Bubbles in van der Waals Ferromagnet Fe3-δGeTe2

Journal Article · · Advanced Science
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [1];  [3];  [4];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [4];  [4];  [2];  [5];  [6]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal (Saudi Arabia)
  2. Tianjin Univ. (China)
  3. Aba Teachers University (China); South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou (China)
  4. South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou (China)
  5. South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou (China); Nanjing Univ. (China)
  6. University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

The van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnet Fe3-δGeTe2 has garnered significant research interest as a platform for skyrmionic spin configurations, that is, skyrmions and skyrmionic bubbles. However, despite extensive efforts, the origin of the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI) in Fe3-δGeTe2 remains elusive, making it challenging to acquire these skyrmionic phases in a controlled manner. In this study, it is demonstrated that the Fe content in Fe3-δGeTe2 has a profound effect on the crystal structure, DMI, and skyrmionic phase. For the first time, a marked increase in Fe atom displacement with decreasing Fe content is observed, transforming the original centrosymmetric crystal structure into a non-centrosymmetric symmetry, leading to a considerable DMI. Additionally, by varying the Fe content and sample thickness, a controllable transition between Néel-type skyrmions and Bloch-type skyrmionic bubbles is achieved, governed by a delicate interplay between dipole–dipole interaction and the DMI. The findings offer novel insights into the variable skyrmionic phases in Fe3-δGeTe2 and provide the impetus for developing vdW ferromagnet-based spintronic devices.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division (MSE)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
2422582
Journal Information:
Advanced Science, Journal Name: Advanced Science Journal Issue: 27 Vol. 10; ISSN 2198-3844
Publisher:
WileyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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