Host: University of Leeds
Location: Leeds, UK
Supervisor: Gavin Burnell, Christopher Marrows
Scientific project:
Magnetic multilayer films in which a ferromagnet such as Co is bounded by two different metals, producing a Pt/Co/Ir trilayer for example, are known as inversion asymmetric and support chiral spin textures called skyrmions. We have imaged skyrmions confined to micrometre-diameter thin film disks using synchrotron techniques, and simultaneously measured their resistance, which in principle would allow them to be electrically detected in a magnetic memory or computing device. However, there are indications that the surface physics phenomenon from which the chirality of skyrmions originates is electrically tunable and as well as being of fundamental interest this would enable additional functionality in a device. In this project we shall deposit dielectric layers on magnetic multilayers that support skyrmions in order to be able to apply a gate voltage. This project builds on the internationally leading work on thin film skyrmions in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Leeds. The films will be prepared in the new Royce multi-deposition chamber in the Condensed Matter group. Lithographic techniques will be used to define micro- and nanoscale devices, and magneto-transport and magnetic imaging techniques will be used to characterise them.