Colossal topological Hall effect at the transition between isolated and lattice-phase interfacial skyrmions

Ordering of room-temperature magnetic skyrmions in a polar van der Waals magnet

Control and understanding of ensembles of skyrmions is important for realization of future technologies. In particular, the order-disorder transition associated with the 2D lattice of magnetic skyrmions can have significant implications for transport and other dynamic functionalities. To date, skyrmion ensembles have been primarily studied in bulk crystals, or as isolated skyrmions in thin film devices. Here, we investigate the condensation of the skyrmion phase at room temperature and zero field in a polar, van der Waals magnet. We demonstrate that we can engineer an ordered skyrmion crystal through structural confinement on the μm scale, showing control over this order-disorder transition on scales relevant for device applications.

Kagome Lattice Promotes Chiral Spin Fluctuations

Dynamical spin fluctuations in magnets can be endowed with a slight bent toward left- or right-handed chirality by Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions. However, little is known about the crucial role of lattice geometry on these chiral spin fluctuations and on fluctuation-related transport anomalies driven by the quantum-mechanical (Berry) phase of conduction electrons. Via thermoelectric Nernst effect and electric Hall effect experiments, we detect chiral spin fluctuations in the paramagnetic regime of a kagome lattice magnet; these signals are largely absent in a comparable triangular lattice magnet. Supported by Monte Carlo calculations, we identify lattices with at least two dissimilar plaquettes as most promising for Berry phase phenomena driven by thermal fluctuations in paramagnets.

Tailoring of the Interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction in Perpendicularly Magnetized Epitaxial Multilayers by Crystal Engineering

The interplay between the interfacial crystalline structure and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) was investigated by Fe insertion in epitaxial Pt/Co/Ir perpendicular magnetized multilayers. The experimental results with the support of first-principles calculation indicate that the Fe/Ir interface exhibits a positive interfacial DMI (iDMI) originating from the fcc crystalline structure inserted by 2 monolayers (ML) Fe, while a negative one from the structure with a layer shifting of 1-ML Fe insertion. The total iDMI of the multilayers increases (decreases) due to the additive enhancement (competitive counteraction) between the iDMI of Fe/Ir and Pt/Co interfaces. Comparing the iDMI of single-crystalline and textured multilayers, the iDMI of multilayers is found to be particularly sensitive to the crystallinity nearby the heterointerfaces. This work is of vital importance to reveal a deeper insight into the physical mechanism of the iDMI and provides a viable strategy for tailoring the iDMI of the multilayers by crystal engineering.

Room-Temperature Magnetic Skyrmions and Large Topological Hall Effect in Chromium Telluride Engineered by Self-Intercalation

Room-temperature magnetic skyrmion materials exhibiting robust topological Hall effect (THE) are crucial for novel nano-spintronic devices. However, such skyrmion-hosting materials are rare in nature. In this study, a self-intercalated transition metal dichalcogenide Cr_{1+ x} Te₂ with a layered crystal structure that hosts room-temperature skyrmions and exhibits large THE is reported. By tuning the self-intercalate concentration, a monotonic control of Curie temperature from 169 to 333 K and a magnetic anisotropy transition from out-of-plane to the in-plane configuration are achieved. Based on the intercalation engineering, room-temperature skyrmions are successfully created in Cr_1.53 Te₂ with a Curie temperature of 295 K and a relatively weak perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Remarkably, a skyrmion-induced topological Hall resistivity as large as ≈106 nΩ cm is observed at 290 K. Moreover, a sign reversal of THE is also found at low temperatures, which can be ascribed to other topological spin textures having an opposite topological charge to that of the skyrmions. Therefore, chromium telluride can be a new paradigm of the skyrmion material family with promising prospects for future device applications.

Distinguishing the Two-Component Anomalous Hall Effect from the Topological Hall Effect

In transport, the topological Hall effect (THE) presents itself as nonmonotonic features (or humps and dips) in the Hall signal and is widely interpreted as a sign of chiral spin textures, like magnetic skyrmions. However, when the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) is also present, the coexistence of two AHEs could give rise to similar artifacts, making it difficult to distinguish between genuine THE with AHE and two-component AHE. Here, we confirm genuine THE with AHE by means of transport and magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopy, in which magnetic skyrmions are directly observed, and find that genuine THE occurs in the transition region of the AHE. In sharp contrast, the artifact "THE" or two-component AHE occurs well beyond the saturation of the "AHE component" (under the false assumption of THE + AHE). Furthermore, we distinguish artifact "THE" from genuine THE by three methods: (1) minor loops, (2) temperature dependence, and (3) gate dependence. Minor loops of genuine THE with AHE are always within the full loop, while minor loops of the artifact "THE" may reveal a single loop that cannot fit into the "AHE component". In addition, the temperature or gate dependence of the artifact "THE" may also be accompanied by a polarity change of the "AHE component", as the nonmonotonic features vanish, while the temperature dependence of genuine THE with AHE reveals no such change. Our work may help future researchers to exercise caution and use these methods for careful examination in order to ascertain the genuine THE.

Flexoresponses of Synthetic Antiferromagnetic Systems Hosting Skyrmions

While strain gradients break lattice centrosymmetry, ferromagnetism is a time-reversal symmetry breaking product. Flexomagnetic effect in ferromagnets is usually indirect and weak. In this Letter, we reveal a topologically enhanced flexomagnetic effect in synthetic antiferromagnetic systems based on Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction and the large deformability of skyrmion. Moreover, the synthetic antiferromagnetic skyrmion exhibits an unexpected Hall effect under strain gradient. We propose that this flexo-Hall effect originates from a geometric Magnus force related to the asymmetric deformation of skyrmion. Our results shed new insights into the flexoresponses in systems hosting topological structures and may open up a new field-"flexoskyrmionics".

Room-temperature skyrmion lattice in a layered magnet (Fe0.5Co0.5)5GeTe2

Novel magnetic ground states have been stabilized in two-dimensional (2D) magnets such as skyrmions, with the potential next-generation information technology. Here, we report the experimental observation of a Néel-type skyrmion lattice at room temperature in a single-phase, layered 2D magnet, specifically a 50% Co-doped Fe₅GeTe₂ (FCGT) system. The thickness-dependent magnetic domain size follows Kittel's law. The static spin textures and spin dynamics in FCGT nanoflakes were studied by Lorentz electron microscopy, variable-temperature magnetic force microscopy, micromagnetic simulations, and magnetotransport measurements. Current-induced skyrmion lattice motion was observed at room temperature, with a threshold current density, j_th = 1 × 10⁶ A/cm². This discovery of a skyrmion lattice at room temperature in a noncentrosymmetric material opens the way for layered device applications and provides an ideal platform for studies of topological and quantum effects in 2D.