Manipulation of atomic-scale skyrmions with spin-polarized surface currents

• Applicant: Dr. Stefan Krause
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 543078346

Within this project we aim at the experimental manipulation of atomic-scale skyrmions induced by a spin-polarized surface current in ultrathin magnetic films consisting of less than four atomic layers prepared on metal surfaces. Well-defined electrical contacts on the skyrmion host will be realized with scanning probe tips at lateral distances on the nanometer-scale for the precise generation of local spin-polarized currents. Utilizing a novel three-tip experimental setup for spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, the interactions between these currents and individual atomic-scale skyrmions will be investigated in real-space and with down to ps temporal resolution, utilizing spin-polarized tunneling from a magnetic probe tip that is used for skyrmion imaging and controlled manipulation. The experiments will be performed under ultrahigh vacuum conditions, at variable temperature between 1 K and 100 K, and in variable external magnetic fields of up to 3 T. We will focus on skyrmions that are stabilized by Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions at the interfaces between ultrathin magnetic films and heavy-element single crystal surfaces.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants