Writing and Deleting Single Magnetic Skyrmions

Writing and Deleting Single Magnetic Skyrmions.
Niklas Romming, Christian Hanneken, Matthias Menzel, Jessica E. Bickel, Boris Wolter,

Kirsten von Bergmann, André Kubetzka, Roland Wiesendanger

Science 341, 636 (2015)

Magnetic field dependence of the PdFe bilayer on the Ir(111) surface at T = 8 K. (A to C) Perspective sketches of the magnetic phases. (D) Overview SP-STM image, perspective view of constant-current image colorized with its derivative. (E to G) PdFe bilayer at different magnetic fields (U = +50 mV, I = 0.2 nA, magnetically out-of-plane sensitive tip). (E) Coexistence of spin spiral and skyrmion phase. (F) Pure skyrmion phase. (G) Ferromagnetic phase. A remaining skyrmion is marked by the white circle.