Inducing skyrmions in ultrathin Fe films by hydrogen exposure.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 29679007.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-018-04015-z and PMC identifier 5910423.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Magnetic skyrmions are localized nanometer-sized spin configurations with particle-like properties, which are envisioned to be used as bits in next-generation information technology. An essential step toward future skyrmion-based applications is to engineer key magnetic parameters for developing and stabilizing individual magnetic skyrmions. Here we demonstrate the tuning of the non-collinear magnetic state of an Fe double layer on an Ir(111) substrate by loading the sample with atomic hydrogen. By using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, we discover that the hydrogenated system supports the formation of skyrmions in external magnetic fields, while the pristine Fe double layer does not. Based on ab initio calculations, we attribute this effect to the tuning of the Heisenberg exchange and the Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interactions due to hydrogenation. In addition to interface engineering, hydrogenation of thin magnetic films offers a unique pathway to design and optimize the skyrmionic states in low-dimensional magnetic materials.