Manipulation of Magnetic Skyrmion Density in Continuous Ir/Co/Pt Multilayers
M. Cubukcu,
S. Pöllath,
S. Tacchi,
A. Stacey,
E. Darwin,
C. W. F. Freeman,
C. Barton,
B. J. Hickey,
C. H. Marrows,
G. Carlotti,
C. H. Back,
O. Kazakova
Affiliations
M. Cubukcu
National Physical Laboratory, Teddington TW11 0LW, UK
S. Pöllath
Institut für Experimentelle Physik, Universität Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
S. Tacchi
Istituto Officina dei Materiali del CNR (CNR-IOM), Sede Secondaria di Perugia, c/o Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
A. Stacey
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
E. Darwin
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
C. W. F. Freeman
National Physical Laboratory, Teddington TW11 0LW, UK
C. Barton
National Physical Laboratory, Teddington TW11 0LW, UK
B. J. Hickey
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
C. H. Marrows
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
G. Carlotti
Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, Via Pascoli, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
C. H. Back
Physik-Department, Technical University Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
O. Kazakova
National Physical Laboratory, Teddington TW11 0LW, UK
We show that magnetic skyrmions can be stabilised at room temperature in continuous [Ir/Co/Pt]5 multilayers on SiO2/Si substrates without the prior application of electric current or magnetic field. While decreasing the Co thickness, a transition of the magnetic domain patterns from worm-like state to separated stripes is observed. The skyrmions are clearly imaged in both states using magnetic force microscopy. The density of skyrmions can be significantly enhanced after applying the “in-plane field procedure”. Our results provide means to manipulate magnetic skyrmion density, further allowing for the optimised engineering of skyrmion-based devices.
