Skyrmion Lattice Domain Formation in a Non-Flat Energy Landscape
arXiv:2508.12988 · doi:10.1038/s42005-025-02462-x
Abstract
Magnetic skyrmions are chiral spin structures with non-trivial topology that comprise two-dimensional quasi-particles and are promising information carriers for data storage and processing devices. Skyrmion lattices in magnetic thin films exhibit Kosterlitz-Thouless-Halperin-Nelson-Young (KTHNY) phase transitions and have garnered significant interest for studying emergent 2D phase behavior. In experimental skyrmion lattices, the main factor limiting the quasi-long-range order in thin films has been the non-flat energy landscape - often referred to as pinning effects. We demonstrate direct control of the skyrmion lattice order by effectively tuning the energy landscape employing magnetic field oscillations. By quantifying lattice order and dynamics, we explore how domain boundaries form and evolve due to pinning effects in Kerr microscopy experiments and in Brownian dynamics simulations, offering a pathway to control and study emergent skyrmion lattice properties and 2D phase behavior.
References in corpus (28)
- Skyrmion Lattice in a Chiral Magnet
- Observation of room temperature magnetic skyrmions and their current-driven dynamics in ultrathin Co films
- Theory of current-driven motion of Skyrmions and spirals in helical magnets
- Skyrmions in Magnetic Multilayers
- Thermal skyrmion diffusion applied in probabilistic computing
- 2D Melting: From Liquid-Hexatic Coexistence to Continuous Transitions
- Particle model for skyrmions in metallic chiral magnets: dynamics, pinning and creep
- Statics and Dynamics of Skyrmions Interacting with Pinning: A Review
- Direct observation of melting in a 2-D superconducting vortex lattice
- Diameter-independent skyrmion Hall angle in the plastic flow regime observed in chiral magnetic multilayers
- Melting a skyrmion lattice topologically: through the hexatic phase to a skyrmion liquid
- Two-dimensional melting under quenched disorder
- Deterministic Generation and Guided Motion of Magnetic Skyrmions by Focused He-Ion Irradiation
- Skyrmions Driven by Intrinsic Magnons
- Melting of the vortex lattice through intermediate hexatic fluid in a-MoGe thin film
- Quantum Dynamics of Skyrmions in Chiral Magnets
- Versatile tuning of Kerr soliton microcombs in crystalline microresonators
- Controlled Ordering of Room-Temperature Magnetic Skyrmions in a Polar Van der Waals Magnet
- Anisotropic skyrmion diffusion controlled by field-induced symmetry breaking
- Effective description of domain wall strings
- Configurational entropy of magnetic skyrmions as an ideal gas
- How a skyrmion can appear both massive and massless
- Tailoring Optical Excitation to Control Magnetic Skyrmion Nucleation
- Imaging Topological Defect Dynamics Mediating 2D Skyrmion Lattice Melting
- Realizing Quantitative Quasiparticle Modeling of Skyrmion Dynamics in Arbitrary Potentials
- Curvature-Induced Skyrmion Mass
- Anisotropic skyrmion mass induced by surrounding conduction electrons: A Schwinger-Keldysh field theory approach
- Ratchet motion of magnetic skyrmions driven by surface acoustic sawtooth waves