Zero-field skyrmionic states and in-field edge-skyrmions induced by boundary tuning

Abstract

When skyrmions are travelling along a given path their motion is impaired by the skyrmion Hall effect which causes them to veer towards the edges of their track rather than to continue in a linear direction. To help counteract this issue, the authors investigate skyrmion edge interactions demonstrating that a ferromagnetic Co/Fe rim adjacent to the Pd/Fe bilayer on Ir(111) can prevent skyrmion annihilation at the film edge and also stabilizes zero-field skyrmions.