Topological spin memory of antiferromagnetically coupled skyrmion pairs in Co/Gd/Pt multilayers
Xiao Wang, Alexandra R. Stuart, Mitchell Swyt, Carla M. Quispe Flores, Andy T. Clark, Merrilyn Mercy Adzo Fiagbenu, Rajesh V. Chopdekar, Pavel N. Lapa, Zhuyun Xiao, D. J. Keavney, R. A. Rosenberg, Michael Vogel, John E. Pearson, S. G. E. te Velthuis, Axel Hoffmann, Kristen Buchanan, Xuemei Cheng
Abstract
Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected spin textures that have attracted considerable interest recently. This paper reports the discovery of a topological spin memory effect, which provides a promising new avenue for information encryption and recovery. The authors demonstrate experimentally that antiferromagnetically (AFM)-coupled bubble skyrmion pairs stabilized in a Co/Gd/Pt multilayered film at room temperature evolve into complex in-plane spin textures as the temperature is lowered and then reform completely when warmed back up. Simulations show that Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions play a key role in this spin memory effect and reveal that the topological charge is preserved throughout the spin reorientation transition and recovery.