Reversible Transformation between Isolated Skyrmions and Bimerons

Nano Lett. 2022 Nov 9;22(21):8559-8566. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c03106. Epub 2022 Oct 19.

Abstract

Skyrmions and bimerons are versatile topological spin textures that can be used as information bits for both classical and quantum computing. The transformation between isolated skyrmions and bimerons is an essential operation for computing architecture based on multiple different topological bits. Here we report the creation of isolated skyrmions and their subsequent transformation to bimerons by harnessing the electric current-induced Oersted field and temperature-induced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy variation. The transformation between skyrmions and bimerons is reversible, which is controlled by the current amplitude and scanning direction. Both skyrmions and bimerons can be created in the same system through the skyrmion-bimeron transformation and magnetization switching. Deformed skyrmion bubbles and chiral labyrinth domains are found as nontrivial intermediate transition states. Our results may provide a unique way for building advanced information-processing devices using different types of topological spin textures in the same system.

Keywords: bimeron; skyrmion; skyrmion bubble; spintronics; topological spin texture; topological transformation.