Researchers invent a skyrmion switch

Skyrmions—magnetic bubbles that can be nanometer-sized and that are insensitive to faults—are garnering attention in the spintronics community. They could one day be used as bits in memory or in logic operations. To dig deeper into the issue, researchers from Spintec and Institut Néel recently created the first-ever “skyrmion switch.” The device is made up of triple-layers of platinum, cobalt, and aluminum oxide. A gate voltage alters the size and density of the skyrmions, making them appear or disappear.
Measurements were taken on micrometer-scale skyrmions. To move to the nanometer scale, the researchers are currently working on coupling an optical microscope with transportation measurement to characterize skyrmions’ unique electrical signature.

Contact: mailto:helene.bea@cea.fr

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