AsianScientist (Jun. 20, 2017) – Using a synchrotron X-ray, researchers in Korea have captured the nanosecond ‘breathing’ motions of exotic quasi-particles known as skyrmions. Their results, published in Nature Communications, could enable researchers to develop next generation broadband communication devices based on skyrmion spins.
Skyrmions are swirling spin structures that occur in magnetic materials. First discovered in 2009, they have attracted great attention as a possible basic unit of ultra-high-density and high-speed next generation memory devices due to their unique topological stability, small size and efficient movement.
In particular, scientists have predicted that a unique kinetic movement of skyrmions called ‘skyrmion breathing’ could be used in high-frequency oscillator and memory devices. However, due to the small size and ultra-fast motion of the skyrmion, direct observations of skyrmion breathing have been difficult.
In the present study, a team of researchers from Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, have successfully measured the controlled motion and breathing of a skyrmion in response to external signals.
They also developed an efficient method to generate skyrmions using external current pulses. These findings suggest that skyrmions can play a significant role in future electronic devices beyond memory devices, which had been of primary focus till now.
“The new approach to utilizing skyrmions presented in the results of this study can be applied to entire devices, so its implications are great in light of the existing research trends,” said Professor Hong Jung-Il, director of the DGIST-LBNL Research Center for Emerging Materials.
“The research results show that the high-efficiency next generation communication devices based on skyrmions, which was previously presented only as a theory, are actually feasible,” said Dr. Woo Seong-hoon from the KIST Center for Spintronics. “This research will contribute to accelerating the development of next generation communication devices for efficient communication among future high-performance electronic devices.”
The article can be found at: Woo et al. (2017) Spin-orbit Torque-driven Skyrmion Dynamics Revealed by Time-resolved X-ray Microscopy.
———
Source: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.
