Rolling motion of rigid skyrmion crystallites induced by chiral lattice torque

Journal article : Letter

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected spin textures with emergent particle-like behaviors. Their dynamics under external stimuli is of great interest and importance for topological physics and spintronics applications alike. So far, skyrmions are only found to move linearly in response to a linear drive, following the conventional model treating them as isolated quasiparticles. Here, by performing time and spatially resolved resonant elastic X-ray scattering of the insulating chiral magnet Cu2OSeO3, we show that for finite-sized skyrmion crystallites, a purely linear temperature gradient not only propels the skyrmions but also induces continuous rotational motion through a chiral lattice torque. Consequently, a skyrmion crystallite undergoes a rolling motion under a small gradient, while both the rolling speed and the rotational sense can be controlled. Our findings offer a new degree of freedom for manipulating these quasiparticles toward device applications and underscore the fundamental phase difference between the condensed skyrmion lattice and isolated skyrmions.

Authors: Jin, H; Chen, J; van der Laan, G; Hesjedal, T; Liu, Y

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• Journal: Nano Letters
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 39
• Pages: 12226–12232
• Place of publication: United States
• Publication date: 2024-09-19
• Acceptance date: 2024-09-17
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c03336
• EISSN: 1530-6992
• ISSN: 1530-6984
• Pmid: 39297736
• Language: English
• Keywords: skyrmion dynamics; temperature gradient; magnetic skyrmions; resonant elastic X-ray scattering; topological magnetism
• Subtype: Letter