Skyrmion research: Braids of nanovortices discovered

Phys.org  October 6, 2021
Braided structures are commonly seen in nature. An international team of researchers (Germany, Sweden, China) has discovered that such structures exist on the nanoscale in alloys of iron and the metalloid germanium. These nanostrings are each made up of several skyrmions that are twisted together to a greater or lesser extent, rather like the strands of a rope. Each skyrmion itself consists of magnetic moments that point in different directions and together take the form of an elongated tiny vortex. The length of the magnetic structures is limited only by the thickness of the sample. Earlier studies by other scientists had shown that such filaments are largely linear and almost rod-shaped. The team has revealed that the threads can in fact twist together to varying degrees. According to the researchers, these complex shapes stabilize the magnetic structures. These types of structures inside magnetic solids suggest unique electrical and magnetic properties. However, further research is needed to verify this. Skyrmions influence the magnetoresistive and thermodynamic properties of a material. The discovery therefore has relevance for both applied and basic research…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE 

Skyrmion braid in a chiral magnet. Credit: Nature Communications volume 12, Article number: 5316 (2021) 

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