nl0c00080_si_003.mp4 (15.96 MB)
Mechanisms of Skyrmion and Skyrmion Crystal Formation from the Conical Phase
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posted on 2020-03-26, 14:41 authored by Tae-Hoon Kim, Haijun Zhao, Ben Xu, Brandt A. Jensen, Alexander H. King, Matthew J. Kramer, Cewen Nan, Liqin Ke, Lin ZhouReal-space
topological magnetic structures such as skyrmions and
merons are promising candidates for information storage and transport.
However, the microscopic mechanisms that control their formation and
evolution are still unclear. Here, using in situ Lorentz
transmission electron microscopy, we demonstrate that skyrmion crystals
(SkXs) can nucleate, grow, and evolve from the conical phase in the
same ways that real nanocrystals form from vapors or solutions. More
intriguingly, individual skyrmions can also “reproduce”
by division in a mitosis-like process that allows them to annihilate
SkX lattice imperfections, which is not available to crystals made
of mass-conserving particles. Combined string method and micromagnetic
calculations show that competition between repulsive and attractive
interactions between skyrmions governs particle-like SkX growth, but
nonconservative SkX growth appears to be defect mediated. Our results
provide insights toward manipulating magnetic topological states by
applying established crystal growth theory, adapted to account for
the new process of skyrmion mitosis.
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crystal growth theorynanocrystals formmechanismmitosis-like processparticle-like SkX growthinformation storagemicromagnetic calculations showstring methodconical phaseConical Phase Real-space topologicaltopological statesnonconservative SkX growthskyrmion mitosisLorentz transmission electron microscopymass-conserving particlesSkX lattice imperfectionsSkyrmion Crystal Formationskyrmion crystals