Skyrmions are magnetic vortices in materials. They are stable, very small (micro- to nanometers) and can be moved using a very small electric current. This makes them candidates for future electronic devices and possible uses within quantum technology. However, to utilize the skyrmions in devices, there are some challenges which needs to be resolved. For example, we require thin films with complex multilayer structures to generate skyrmions.
Another problem is that skyrmions sometimes get stuck. This makes the movement unpredictable, which is not compatible with their use in devices. Since skyrmions are very small magnetic objects, not many microscopy techniques can image them, and even fewer can study why the they get stuck in the material.
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is an instrument which can study both crystal structure, chemical composition and magnetic fields in materials, at nanometer length scales. This makes the TEM well-suited for studying skyrmions. To be able to achieve this, we need to be apply an electric current inside the TEM. This is achieved with chips that are custom made in NTNU NanoLab.
The goal of this project is to develop a method to produce thin films that can host skyrmions, make them move inside the TEM by applying electric currents, and further develop methods for observing these motions. We will use this to study why the skyrmions get stuck: is it the crystal structure, chemical composition or something else? A longer term ambition is to study the workings of circuits including skyrmion generators and detectors using the same methodology.
