Stabilizing skyrmions without a magnetic field now possible

The tiny magnetic bubbles known as skyrmions—potential candidates for tomorrow’s memory bits—can now be stabilized at ambient temperature without a magnetic field. Researchers at Spintec just demonstrated this new capability using an exchange coupler already used in MRAM. Specifically, an anti-ferromagnetic layer is combined with the ultra-thin ferromagnetic layer that holds the skyrmions.
The size of the skyrmions was also reduced, which could boost future memory storage densities. The smallest skyrmions measured 30 nm, five times smaller than anything obtained previously by Spintec. Also worth noting is that Spintec worked with the University of Montpellier to characterize the device using an innovative technique called nitrogen vacancy center magnetometry.

Contact: olivier.boulle@cea.fr

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