Spatially reconfigurable antiferromagnetic states in topologically rich free-standing nanomembranes

Journal article

Antiferromagnets hosting real-space topological textures are promising platforms to model fundamental ultrafast phenomena and explore spintronics. However, they have only been epitaxially fabricated on specific symmetry-matched substrates, thereby preserving their intrinsic magneto-crystalline order. This curtails their integration with dissimilar supports, restricting the scope of fundamental and applied investigations. Here we circumvent this limitation by designing detachable crystalline antiferromagnetic nanomembranes of α-Fe2O3. First, we show—via transmission-based antiferromagnetic vector mapping—that flat nanomembranes host a spin-reorientation transition and rich topological phenomenology. Second, we exploit their extreme flexibility to demonstrate the reconfiguration of antiferromagnetic states across three-dimensional membrane folds resulting from flexure-induced strains. Finally, we combine these developments using a controlled manipulator to realize the strain-driven non-thermal generation of topological textures at room temperature. The integration of such free-standing antiferromagnetic layers with flat/curved nanostructures could enable spin texture designs via magnetoelastic/geometric effects in the quasi-static and dynamical regimes, opening new explorations into curvilinear antiferromagnetism and unconventional computing.

Authors: Jani, H; Harrison, J; Hooda, S; Prakash, S; Nandi, P

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Journal: Nature Materials
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 619-626
• Publication date: 2024-02-19
• Acceptance date: 2024-01-11
• DOI: 10.1038/s41563-024-01806-2
• EISSN: 1476-4660
• ISSN: 1476-1122
• Language: English