Observation of room-temperature polar skyrmions

S. Das; Y. L. Tang; Z. Hong; M. A.P. Gonçalves; M. R. McCarter; C. Klewe; K. X. Nguyen; F. Gómez-Ortiz; P. Shafer; E. Arenholz; V. A. Stoica; S. L. Hsu; B. Wang; C. Ophus; J. F. Liu; C. T. Nelson; S. Saremi; B. Prasad; A. B. Mei; D. G. Schlom; J. Íñiguez; P. García-Fernández; D. A. Muller; L. Q. Chen; J. Junquera; L. W. Martin; R. Ramesh

doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1092-8

Observation of room-temperature polar skyrmions

S. Das, Y. L. Tang, Z. Hong, M. A.P. Gonçalves, M. R. McCarter, C. Klewe, K. X. Nguyen, F. Gómez-Ortiz, P. Shafer, E. Arenholz, V. A. Stoica, S. L. Hsu, B. Wang, C. Ophus, J. F. Liu, C. T. Nelson, S. Saremi, B. Prasad, A. B. Mei, D. G. SchlomJ. Íñiguez, P. García-Fernández, D. A. Muller, L. Q. Chen, J. Junquera, L. W. Martin, R. Ramesh

Materials Science and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

571 Scopus citations

Abstract

Complex topological configurations are fertile ground for exploring emergent phenomena and exotic phases in condensed-matter physics. For example, the recent discovery of polarization vortices and their associated complex-phase coexistence and response under applied electric fields in superlattices of (PbTiO₃)_n/(SrTiO₃)_n suggests the presence of a complex, multi-dimensional system capable of interesting physical responses, such as chirality, negative capacitance and large piezo-electric responses^1–3. Here, by varying epitaxial constraints, we discover room-temperature polar-skyrmion bubbles in a lead titanate layer confined by strontium titanate layers, which are imaged by atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. Phase-field modelling and second-principles calculations reveal that the polar-skyrmion bubbles have a skyrmion number of +1, and resonant soft-X-ray diffraction experiments show circular dichroism, confirming chirality. Such nanometre-scale polar-skyrmion bubbles are the electric analogues of magnetic skyrmions, and could contribute to the advancement of ferroelectrics towards functionalities incorporating emergent chirality and electrically controllable negative capacitance.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	368-372
Number of pages	5
Journal	Nature
Volume	568
Issue number	7752
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1092-8
State	Published - Apr 18 2019

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

General

Access to Document

10.1038/s41586-019-1092-8

Cite this

Das, S., Tang, Y. L., Hong, Z., Gonçalves, M. A. P., McCarter, M. R., Klewe, C., Nguyen, K. X., Gómez-Ortiz, F., Shafer, P., Arenholz, E., Stoica, V. A., Hsu, S. L., Wang, B., Ophus, C., Liu, J. F., Nelson, C. T., Saremi, S., Prasad, B., Mei, A. B., ... Ramesh, R. (2019). Observation of room-temperature polar skyrmions. Nature, 568(7752), 368-372. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1092-8

@article{7c9ebccfd396446fae0b506fc592c11e,

title = "Observation of room-temperature polar skyrmions",

abstract = "Complex topological configurations are fertile ground for exploring emergent phenomena and exotic phases in condensed-matter physics. For example, the recent discovery of polarization vortices and their associated complex-phase coexistence and response under applied electric fields in superlattices of (PbTiO3)n/(SrTiO3)n suggests the presence of a complex, multi-dimensional system capable of interesting physical responses, such as chirality, negative capacitance and large piezo-electric responses1–3. Here, by varying epitaxial constraints, we discover room-temperature polar-skyrmion bubbles in a lead titanate layer confined by strontium titanate layers, which are imaged by atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. Phase-field modelling and second-principles calculations reveal that the polar-skyrmion bubbles have a skyrmion number of +1, and resonant soft-X-ray diffraction experiments show circular dichroism, confirming chirality. Such nanometre-scale polar-skyrmion bubbles are the electric analogues of magnetic skyrmions, and could contribute to the advancement of ferroelectrics towards functionalities incorporating emergent chirality and electrically controllable negative capacitance.",

author = "S. Das and Tang, {Y. L.} and Z. Hong and Gon{\c c}alves, {M. A.P.} and McCarter, {M. R.} and C. Klewe and Nguyen, {K. X.} and F. G{\'o}mez-Ortiz and P. Shafer and E. Arenholz and Stoica, {V. A.} and Hsu, {S. L.} and B. Wang and C. Ophus and Liu, {J. F.} and Nelson, {C. T.} and S. Saremi and B. Prasad and Mei, {A. B.} and Schlom, {D. G.} and J. {\'I}{\~n}iguez and P. Garc{\'i}a-Fern{\'a}ndez and Muller, {D. A.} and Chen, {L. Q.} and J. Junquera and Martin, {L. W.} and R. Ramesh",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.",

year = "2019",

month = apr,

day = "18",

doi = "10.1038/s41586-019-1092-8",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "568",

pages = "368--372",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "7752",

}

Das, S, Tang, YL, Hong, Z, Gonçalves, MAP, McCarter, MR, Klewe, C, Nguyen, KX, Gómez-Ortiz, F, Shafer, P, Arenholz, E, Stoica, VA, Hsu, SL, Wang, B, Ophus, C, Liu, JF, Nelson, CT, Saremi, S, Prasad, B, Mei, AB, Schlom, DG, Íñiguez, J, García-Fernández, P, Muller, DA, Chen, LQ, Junquera, J, Martin, LW & Ramesh, R 2019, 'Observation of room-temperature polar skyrmions', Nature, vol. 568, no. 7752, pp. 368-372. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1092-8

TY - JOUR

T1 - Observation of room-temperature polar skyrmions

AU - Das, S.

AU - Tang, Y. L.

AU - Hong, Z.

AU - Gonçalves, M. A.P.

AU - McCarter, M. R.

AU - Klewe, C.

AU - Nguyen, K. X.

AU - Gómez-Ortiz, F.

AU - Shafer, P.

AU - Arenholz, E.

AU - Stoica, V. A.

AU - Hsu, S. L.

AU - Wang, B.

AU - Ophus, C.

AU - Liu, J. F.

AU - Nelson, C. T.

AU - Saremi, S.

AU - Prasad, B.

AU - Mei, A. B.

AU - Schlom, D. G.

AU - Íñiguez, J.

AU - García-Fernández, P.

AU - Muller, D. A.

AU - Chen, L. Q.

AU - Junquera, J.

AU - Martin, L. W.

AU - Ramesh, R.

PY - 2019/4/18

Y1 - 2019/4/18

N2 - Complex topological configurations are fertile ground for exploring emergent phenomena and exotic phases in condensed-matter physics. For example, the recent discovery of polarization vortices and their associated complex-phase coexistence and response under applied electric fields in superlattices of (PbTiO3)n/(SrTiO3)n suggests the presence of a complex, multi-dimensional system capable of interesting physical responses, such as chirality, negative capacitance and large piezo-electric responses1–3. Here, by varying epitaxial constraints, we discover room-temperature polar-skyrmion bubbles in a lead titanate layer confined by strontium titanate layers, which are imaged by atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. Phase-field modelling and second-principles calculations reveal that the polar-skyrmion bubbles have a skyrmion number of +1, and resonant soft-X-ray diffraction experiments show circular dichroism, confirming chirality. Such nanometre-scale polar-skyrmion bubbles are the electric analogues of magnetic skyrmions, and could contribute to the advancement of ferroelectrics towards functionalities incorporating emergent chirality and electrically controllable negative capacitance.

AB - Complex topological configurations are fertile ground for exploring emergent phenomena and exotic phases in condensed-matter physics. For example, the recent discovery of polarization vortices and their associated complex-phase coexistence and response under applied electric fields in superlattices of (PbTiO3)n/(SrTiO3)n suggests the presence of a complex, multi-dimensional system capable of interesting physical responses, such as chirality, negative capacitance and large piezo-electric responses1–3. Here, by varying epitaxial constraints, we discover room-temperature polar-skyrmion bubbles in a lead titanate layer confined by strontium titanate layers, which are imaged by atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. Phase-field modelling and second-principles calculations reveal that the polar-skyrmion bubbles have a skyrmion number of +1, and resonant soft-X-ray diffraction experiments show circular dichroism, confirming chirality. Such nanometre-scale polar-skyrmion bubbles are the electric analogues of magnetic skyrmions, and could contribute to the advancement of ferroelectrics towards functionalities incorporating emergent chirality and electrically controllable negative capacitance.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064555044&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85064555044&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s41586-019-1092-8

DO - 10.1038/s41586-019-1092-8

M3 - Article

C2 - 30996320

AN - SCOPUS:85064555044

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 568

SP - 368

EP - 372

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 7752

ER -

Observation of room-temperature polar skyrmions

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this