Nanosecond X-Ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy on Magnetic Skyrmions

Phys Rev Lett. 2017 Aug 11;119(6):067403. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.067403. Epub 2017 Aug 9.

Abstract

We report an x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy method that exploits the recent development of the two-pulse mode at the Linac Coherent Light Source. By using coherent resonant x-ray magnetic scattering, we studied spontaneous fluctuations on nanosecond time scales in thin films of multilayered Fe/Gd that exhibit ordered stripe and Skyrmion lattice phases. The correlation time of the fluctuations was found to differ between the Skyrmion phase and near the stripe-Skyrmion boundary. This technique will enable a significant new area of research on the study of equilibrium fluctuations in condensed matter.