Skyrmion Sliding Switch in a 90 nm-Wide Nanostructured Chiral Magnet
Yaodong Wu, Jialiang Jiang, Weiwei Wang, Lingyao Kong, Shouguo Wang, Mingliang Tian, Haifeng Du, Jin Tang
Abstract
Magnetic skyrmions, renowned for their fascinating electromagnetic properties, hold the potential for next-generation topological spintronic devices. Recent advancements have unveiled a rich tapestry of 3D topological magnetism. Nevertheless, the practical application of 3D topological magnetism in the development of topological spintronic devices remains a challenge. Here, we showcase the experimental utilization of 3D topological magnetism through the exploitation of skyrmion-edge attractive interactions in 90 nm-wide confined chiral FeGe and CoZnMn magnetic nanostructures. These attractive interactions result in two degenerate equilibrium positions that can be naturally interpreted as binary bits for a skyrmion sliding switch. Our theory and simulation reveal current-driven spiral motions of skyrmions, governed by the anisotropic gradient of the potential landscape. Our experiments validate the theory that predicts a tunable threshold current density via magnetic field and temperature modulation of the energy barrier. Our results offer an approach for implementing universal on-off switch functions in 3D topological spintronic devices.