In-situ study of skyrmions at high resolution using differential phase contrast microscopy

• Main Authors: Tan, Hui Ru, Andersen, Ingrid Marie, Lin, Ming, Chen, Xiaoye, Tan, Hang Khume, Soumyanarayanan, Anjan, Boothroyd, Chris
• Other Authors: School of Materials Science and Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Engineering::Materials; Magnetic Skyrmions; Spintronic Technology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/165547
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Magnetic skyrmions are nanoscale topological spin structures that show great potential in future spintronic technology. In particular, skyrmions in multilayer systems open up the avenue to controlling and varying skyrmion properties for functional devices. Co/Pt-based multilayer systems have been shown to host magnetic skyrmions at room temperature, while incorporation of Ir and Fe further offers a materials platform with tunable magnetic properties [1]. In our previous studies on Ir/Fe/Co/Pt multilayers, we used Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to characterize the chirality, formation mechanism, and evolution of room-temperature skyrmions [2]. This is the most direct imaging method for in-situ TEM studies of magnetic processes. However, as we work with multilayer films approaching the ultrathin (1 nm) limit, highly defocused Lorentz TEM images (Figure 1) prove limiting in both spatial resolution and magnetic sensitivity.