• Open Access

Electric-Field-Driven Topological Phase Switching and Skyrmion-Lattice Metastability in Magnetoelectric Cu2OSeO3

J. S. White, I. Živković, A. J. Kruchkov, M. Bartkowiak, A. Magrez, and H. M. Rønnow
Phys. Rev. Applied 10, 014021 – Published 23 July 2018

Abstract

Due to their topological protection and nanometric size, magnetic skyrmions are anticipated to form components of new high-density memory technologies. In metallic systems, skyrmion manipulation is achieved easily under a low-density electric current flow, although the inevitable thermal dissipation ultimately limits the energy efficacy of potential applications. On the other hand, a near dissipation-free skyrmion and skyrmion phase manipulation is expected by using electric fields; thus meeting better the demands of an energy-conscious society. In this work on an insulating chiral magnet Cu2OSeO3 with magnetoelectric coupling, we use neutron scattering to demonstrate directly (i) the creation of metastable skyrmion states over an extended range in magnetic field and temperature (T), and (ii) the in situ electric-field-driven switching between topologically distinct phases; the skyrmion phase and a competing nontopological cone phase. For our accessible electric-field range, the phase switching is achieved in a high-temperature regime, and the remnant (E=0) metastable skyrmion state is thermally volatile with an exponential lifetime on hour timescales. Nevertheless, by taking advantage of the demonstrably longer-lived metastable skyrmion states at lower temperatures, a truly nonvolatile and near dissipation-free topological phase change memory function is promised in magnetoelectric chiral magnets.

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  • Received 20 March 2018
  • Revised 12 May 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.10.014021

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

Published by the American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

J. S. White1,*, I. Živković2, A. J. Kruchkov3, M. Bartkowiak4, A. Magrez5, and H. M. Rønnow2

  • 1Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging (LNS), Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland
  • 2Laboratory for Quantum Magnetism (LQM), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
  • 3Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
  • 4Laboratory for Scientific Developments and Novel Materials (LDM), Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland
  • 5Crystal Growth Facility, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

  • *jonathan.white@psi.ch

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Vol. 10, Iss. 1 — July 2018

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