Jointed magnetic skyrmion lattices at a small-angle grain boundary directly visualized by advanced electron microscopy.

ABSTRACT: The interactions between magnetic skyrmions and structural defects, such as edges, dislocations, and grain boundaries (GBs), which are all considered as topological defects, will be important issues when magnetic skyrmions are utilized for future memory device applications. To investigate such interactions, simultaneous visualization of magnetic skyrmions and structural defects at high spatial resolution, which is not feasible by conventional techniques, is essential. Here, taking advantages of aberration-corrected differential phase-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy, we investigate the interaction of magnetic skyrmions with a small-angle GB in a thin film of FeGe_1-xSi_x. We found that the magnetic skyrmions and the small-angle GB can coexist each othe

SUBMITTER: Matsumoto T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5075881 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature