Loading...
Skyrmions and non-collinear magnetic domains in Fe₃GeTe₂
Slayback, Paul T.
Slayback, Paul T.
Citations
Altmetric:
Advisor
Editor
Date
Date Issued
2023
Date Submitted
Collections
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Embargo Expires
Abstract
Superconductor-ferromagnet heterostructures have potential for use in topological quantum
computing schemes. Of particular interest are heterostructures that utilize Fe3GeTe2, an air
sensitive van der Waals (vdW) material known to host nanoscale magnetic whirlpools called
skyrmions. The vdW nature of Fe3GeTe2 means we can exfoliate 2D layers that can be easily
incorporated into a wide range of devices. Behaving as particles that can be manipulated,
skyrmions are potentially useful for topological quantum computing and low-energy spintronic
devices. To work towards creating superconductor-ferromagnetic heterostructures we (1) designed
and constructed a setup for deterministic placement of air sensitive, 2D materials, (2) developed
fabrication procedures to produce Fe3GeTe2 Hall bar devices and (3)characterized the eld and
temperature-dependent magnetic properties of Fe3GeTe2 using magnetometry, magnetic force
microscopy and electrical transport measurements. We found that the magnetic properties of
Fe3GeTe2 are highly dependent on the thermal and magnetic history and the thickness of the
sample. In addition, we have observed non-collinear magnetic domains including
skyrmions, labyrinths and stripes. We have also observed that adding a layer of WTe2 on top of
the Fe3GeTe2 can increase the Dzyaloshinskii{Moriya Interaction energy, which is the cause of
non-collinear magnetic domains. Results from the magnetic characterization inform us on the
conditions under which skyrmions and a variety of magnetic domains form in the Fe3GeTe2. In
the future this will be used for studies on the proximity eects in Fe3GeTe2-superconductor
heterostructures.
Associated Publications
Rights
Copyright of the original work is retained by the author.