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Electric-field-driven non-volatile multi-state switching of individual skyrmions in a multiferroic heterostructure

Author

Listed:
  • Yadong Wang

    (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute for Advanced Materials, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University
    National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University)

  • Lei Wang

    (University of Science and Technology Beijing)

  • Jing Xia

    (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen)

  • Zhengxun Lai

    (Tianjin University)

  • Guo Tian

    (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute for Advanced Materials, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University
    National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University)

  • Xichao Zhang

    (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen)

  • Zhipeng Hou

    (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute for Advanced Materials, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University
    National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University)

  • Xingsen Gao

    (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute for Advanced Materials, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University
    National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University)

  • Wenbo Mi

    (Tianjin University)

  • Chun Feng

    (University of Science and Technology Beijing)

  • Min Zeng

    (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute for Advanced Materials, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University
    National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University)

  • Guofu Zhou

    (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute for Advanced Materials, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University
    National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University)

  • Guanghua Yu

    (University of Science and Technology Beijing)

  • Guangheng Wu

    (Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yan Zhou

    (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen)

  • Wenhong Wang

    (Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xi-xiang Zhang

    (Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Junming Liu

    (Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University)

Abstract

Electrical manipulation of skyrmions attracts considerable attention for its rich physics and promising applications. To date, such a manipulation is realized mainly via spin-polarized current based on spin-transfer torque or spin–orbital torque effect. However, this scheme is energy consuming and may produce massive Joule heating. To reduce energy dissipation and risk of heightened temperatures of skyrmion-based devices, an effective solution is to use electric field instead of current as stimulus. Here, we realize an electric-field manipulation of skyrmions in a nanostructured ferromagnetic/ferroelectrical heterostructure at room temperature via an inverse magneto-mechanical effect. Intriguingly, such a manipulation is non-volatile and exhibits a multistate feature. Numerical simulations indicate that the electric-field manipulation of skyrmions originates from strain-mediated modification of effective magnetic anisotropy and Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction. Our results open a direction for constructing low-energy-dissipation, non-volatile, and multistate skyrmion-based spintronic devices.

Suggested Citation

  • Yadong Wang & Lei Wang & Jing Xia & Zhengxun Lai & Guo Tian & Xichao Zhang & Zhipeng Hou & Xingsen Gao & Wenbo Mi & Chun Feng & Min Zeng & Guofu Zhou & Guanghua Yu & Guangheng Wu & Yan Zhou & Wenhong , 2020. "Electric-field-driven non-volatile multi-state switching of individual skyrmions in a multiferroic heterostructure," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-17354-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17354-7
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