Skyrmionics in correlated oxides

While chiral magnets, metal-based magnetic multilayers, or Heusler compounds have been considered as the material workhorses in the field of skyrmionics, oxides are now emerging as promising alternatives, as they host special correlations between the spin–orbital–charge–lattice degrees of freedom and/or coupled ferroic order parameters. These interactions open new possibilities for practically exploiting skyrmionics. In this article, we review the recent advances in the observation and control of topological spin textures in various oxide systems. We start with the discovery of skyrmions and related quasiparticles in bulk and heterostructure ferromagnetic oxides. Next, we emphasize the shortcomings of implementing ferromagnetic textures, which have led to the recent explorations of ferrimagnetic and antiferromagnetic oxide counterparts, with higher Curie temperatures, stray-field immunity, low Gilbert damping, ultrafast magnetic dynamics, and/or absence of skyrmion deflection. Then, we highlight the development of novel pathways to control the stability, motion, and detection of topological textures using electric fields and currents. Finally, we present the outstanding challenges that need to be overcome to achieve all-electrical, nonvolatile, low-power oxide skyrmionic devices. Graphical abstract

DYNAMICS OF AN ELECTRON BEAM FORMED BY MAGNETRON GUN WITH THE SECONDARY EMISSION CATHODE IN THE DECLINING MAGNETIC FIELD OF SOLENOID: EXPERIMENT AND SIMULATION

The article presents the results of research and calculations on the formation of a radial electron beam by a magnetron gun with a secondary emission cathode in the electron energy range 35...65 keV and measuring its parameters during transportation in the total decreasing magnetic field of thesolenoid and the stray field of permanent magnets. The beam was transported in a system consisting of copper rings with an inner diameter of 66 mm,located at a distance of 85 mm from the exit of the magnetron gun. The dependence of the beam current on the amplitude and gradient of the fielddecay has been studied. The studies carried out have shown the possibility of stable formation of a radial electron beam with an energy of tens of keVin the decreasing magnetic field of the solenoid. By optimizing the distribution of the magnetic field (created by the solenoid and ring magnets) and itsdecay gradient, it is possible to achieve an increase in the incident of electrons on one ring (up to ~72% of the beam current). On the basis of themathematical model of the movement of the electron flow, a software tool has been synthesized that makes it possible to obtain and interpret thecharacteristics of the resulting flows. The obtained numerical dependences are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental results for a magneticfield with a large decay gradient. Various configurations of the magnetic field are considered. Solutions to the direct problem of modeling electrontrajectories for given initial conditions and parameters are obtained. Various configurations of the magnetic field are considered. It is shown that forthe selected initial conditions for the electron beam and the distributions of the longitudinal magnetic field along the axis of the gun and the transportchannel, the electron flux falls on a vertical section, the length of which is on the order of a millimeter. Thus, by changing the amplitude anddistribution of the magnetic field, it is possible to control the current in the radial direction along the length of the pipe, and, therefore, the place of theelectron irradiation.

Bench testing of hybrid ems prototype

Aim: To test the levitation performance of a hybrid EMS prototype. Materials and Methods: a levitation test setup with a 18 mm thick steel rail was constructed on a basis of the certified test bench 1958U-10-1 for measurement in the range up to 100 kN. The attractive force was investigated by varying the air gap size and coil current. Measured data were compared with parametric simulations. Results: Experimental and numerical results agreed with the accuracy required for practical application. Conclusions: A prototype of hybrid EMS (HEMS) for maglev transport has been designed, built, and tested at JSC NIIEFA. The HEMS concept has an advantage of reduced power loss and low stray field. The bench testing has proved good levitation performance and low power consumption of the proposed design. The measured data were used to check design solutions and verify 3D numerical models of the magnets. The comparison demonstrated a good match between measurements and simulations.

Complex free-space magnetic field textures induced by three-dimensional magnetic nanostructures

The design of complex, competing effects in magnetic systems—be it via the introduction of nonlinear interactions1–4, or the patterning of three-dimensional geometries5,6—is an emerging route to achieve new functionalities. In particular, through the design of three-dimensional geometries and curvature, intrastructure properties such as anisotropy and chirality, both geometry-induced and intrinsic, can be directly controlled, leading to a host of new physics and functionalities, such as three-dimensional chiral spin states7, ultrafast chiral domain wall dynamics8–10 and spin textures with new spin topologies7,11. Here, we advance beyond the control of intrastructure properties in three dimensions and tailor the magnetostatic coupling of neighbouring magnetic structures, an interstructure property that allows us to generate complex textures in the magnetic stray field. For this, we harness direct write nanofabrication techniques, creating intertwined nanomagnetic cobalt double helices, where curvature, torsion, chirality and magnetic coupling are jointly exploited. By reconstructing the three-dimensional vectorial magnetic state of the double helices with soft-X-ray magnetic laminography12,13, we identify the presence of a regular array of highly coupled locked domain wall pairs in neighbouring helices. Micromagnetic simulations reveal that the magnetization configuration leads to the formation of an array of complex textures in the magnetic induction, consisting of vortices in the magnetization and antivortices in free space, which together form an effective B field cross-tie wall14. The design and creation of complex three-dimensional magnetic field nanotextures opens new possibilities for smart materials15, unconventional computing2,16, particle trapping17,18 and magnetic imaging19.

Power-efficient low-stray field hybrid magnets for MAGLEV technology

A hybrid suspension system is proposed for maglev transport that utilizes electromagnets (EM) in combination with permanent magnets (PM). Several design schemes are compared searching for optimum performance. Sufficient reduction of power consumption and stray field is achieved on the hybrid configuration as compared to conventional EM suspension systems.

Micromotion minimization using Ramsey interferometry

We minimize the stray electric field in a linear Paul trap quickly and accurately, by applying interferometry pulse sequences to a trapped ion optical qubit. The interferometry sequences are sensitive to the change of ion equilibrium position when the trap stiffness is changed, and we use this to determine the stray electric field. The simplest pulse sequence is a two-pulse Ramsey sequence, and longer sequences with multiple pulses offer a higher precision. The methods allow the stray field strength to be minimized beyond state-of-the-art levels. Using a sequence of nine pulses we reduce the 2D stray field strength to (10.5±0.8)mVm-1 in 11s measurement time. The pulse sequences are easy to implement and automate, and they are robust against laser detuning and pulse area errors. We use interferometry sequences with different lengths and precisions to measure the stray field with an uncertainty below the standard quantum limit. This marks a real-world case in which quantum metrology offers a significant enhancement. Also, we minimize micromotion in 2D using a single probe laser, by using an interferometry method together with the resolved sideband method; this is useful for experiments with restricted optical access. Furthermore, a technique presented in this work is related to quantum protocols for synchronizing clocks; we demonstrate these protocols here.

Orthogonal interlayer coupling in an all-antiferromagnetic junction

The interlayer coupling of two ferromagnetic layers results in found of giant magnetoresistance, which forms the foundation of spintronics and accelerates the development of information technology. Compared with ferromagnets, antiferromagnets (AFMs) possess huge potential in ultrafast and high-density data processing and information storage because of their terahertz spin dynamics and subtle stray field. The interlayer coupling in AFMs has long been neglected, because the collinear parallel and antiparallel arrangements of AFMs are indistinguishable. However, the noncollinear interlayer coupling in AFMs is detectable, and can be a potential candidate for practical antiferromagnetic spintronic devices. Here we demonstrate orthogonal interlayer coupling at room temperature in an all-antiferromagnetic junction Fe2O3/Cr2O3/Fe2O3, where the Néel vectors in the top and bottom functional materials Fe2O3 are strongly orthogonally coupled and the coupling strength of which is significantly affected by the thickness of the antiferromagnetic Cr2O3 spacer. From the energy and symmetry analysis, the direct coupling via uniform magnetic ordering is excluded. The coupling is proposed to be mediated by quasi-long range order in the spacer. Besides the fundamental significance, the strong coupling in an antiferromagnetic junction makes it a promising building block for practical antiferromagnetic spintronics with high-speed operation and ultrahigh-density integration.