DMI-Gradient-Driven Skyrmion Motion

ABSTRACT: We study skyrmion control in an artificial ultrathin magnetic film with perpendicular anisotropy. We simulate numerically the skyrmion motion induced by spatial gradient of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) strength. We show that creating the DMI gradient is an efficient way to move skyrmions. In particular, experimentally achievable DMI gradients can be as effective as spin-polarized electric currents with 1011 A/m2 density. At that, the DMI gradient induces a much weaker skyrmion Hall effect. The DMI gradient can be created with a mechanical strain in a ferroelectric-ferromagnetic hybrid system. This opens an alternative way to manipulate skyrmions.

Automated summary

In this study, we investigate the control of skyrmions in an artificial ultrathin magnetic film with perpendicular anisotropy. By numerically simulating the motion of skyrmions induced by the spatial gradient of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) strength, we demonstrate that creating a DMI gradient is an efficient way to manipulate skyrmions. Furthermore, experimentally achievable DMI gradients can be as effective as spin-polarized electric currents, but with a weaker skyrmion Hall effect. These DMI gradients can be created by applying mechanical strain in a ferroelectric-ferromagnetic hybrid system, providing an alternative approach for skyrmion manipulation.