Room-temperature skyrmion lattice in a layered magnet (Fe0.5Co0.5)5GeTe2

• Published in: Science advances Vol. 8; no. 12; p. eabm7103
• Main Authors: Zhang, Hongrui, Raftrey, David, Chan, Ying-Ting, Shao, Yu-Tsun, Chen, Rui, Chen, Xiang, Huang, Xiaoxi, Reichanadter, Jonathan T, Dong, Kaichen, Susarla, Sandhya, Caretta, Lucas, Chen, Zhen, Yao, Jie, Fischer, Peter, Neaton, Jeffrey B, Wu, Weida, Muller, David A, Birgeneau, Robert J, Ramesh, Ramamoorthy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States AAAS 25.03.2022; American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; Materials Science; Physical and Materials Sciences; Physical Sciences; SciAdv r-articles
• ISSN: 2375-2548; 2375-2548
• DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm7103

Novel magnetic ground states have been stabilized in two-dimensional (2D) magnets such as skyrmions, with the potential next-generation information technology. Here, we report the experimental observation of a Néel-type skyrmion lattice at room temperature in a single-phase, layered 2D magnet, specifically a 50% Co-doped Fe5GeTe2 (FCGT) system. The thickness-dependent magnetic domain size follows Kittel's law. The static spin textures and spin dynamics in FCGT nanoflakes were studied by Lorentz electron microscopy, variable-temperature magnetic force microscopy, micromagnetic simulations, and magnetotransport measurements. Current-induced skyrmion lattice motion was observed at room temperature, with a threshold current density, jth = 1 × 106 A/cm2. This discovery of a skyrmion lattice at room temperature in a noncentrosymmetric material opens the way for layered device applications and provides an ideal platform for studies of topological and quantum effects in 2D.