Dynamic studies of skyrmion stability
Magnetic skyrmions show promise as a future data storage technique due to their topological protection and the existence of skyrmion lattices (SkL) at a wide range of temperatures and magnetic fields in different materials. Metastable skyrmion lattices have been produced and observed using SANS outside of the A phase by rapidly cooling through the phase boundary. The metastable SkL could be progressively driven to the equilibrium (non-skyrmion) phase by changing the applied field, and even undergo a structural transition to a square symmetry in the process. To date most SANS studies of the SkL have focused on static properties. We propose to explore the dynamics associated with the SkL stability in the vicinity of the equilibrium phase boundaries in MnSi. We will use a bespoke AC coil to raise or lower the magnetic field outside the A-phase and observe the SkL as a function of time. Given that thermal quenching is able to produce metastable SkL phase, we expect that time scales associated with the "unwinding" of the skyrmions will be relatively slow and compatible with the AC field technique.
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M. R. Eskildsen; DEWHURST Charles; HONECKER Dirk; Allan Leishman and WHITE Jonathan. (2018). Dynamic studies of skyrmion stability. Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) doi:10.5291/ILL-DATA.5-42-477
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