Magnetic Skyrmions – novel particles made off magnetic swirls on the nanoscale
Abstract:
Magnetism is known for more than 2000 years. Recently it was found that inside the magnetism we can have single isolated magnetic swirls of nanometer size that are stable and have particle like properties. They can be moved fast by electrons and electron ride on them where their spins are making funny twists. They are named skyrmions because the underlying mathematical nature has similarities with the field theory developed by Skyrme describing the low-energy physics of the nuclei. They are also understood as topological solitons, where the topological nature provides a protection in the same way as a donut cannot be transformed into a ball without rupture. In this Colloquium I will introduce the nature and the properties of these particles and will show that the underlying mechanism stabilizing the skyrmion is a chiral interaction known as the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. I will show how materials can be designed to exhibit the Skyrmions with particular properties by relating the magnetic interaction to the underlying electronic structure. In recent years the field has taken a new twist where frustrated competing exchange leads to skyrmion lattice and magnetic hopfions.
About the speaker:
Prof. Dr. Stefan Blügel (H-index: 79) published more than 580 refereed papers in international journals that had been cited about 28000 times, contributed to more than 30 book chapters and 3 patents, presented about 250 invited talks at international conferences/symposia/meetings (Web of Science 2023-05-10) and educated more than 40 PhD students.
This year we will continue with the new format:
- Onsite on Campus Limpertsberg, where you will have the opportunity to meet the speaker over the lunch. Catering is offered from 12:00 PM to all registered participants (BSC Hall). Please register below for the lunch before 18 October 2024. Talk at 1:00 PM in BSC 0.03
- Online – through Webex – to give you the opportunity to listen to the talk in case you are travelling or cannot make it onsite at Campus Limpertsberg. Here are the details to join the talk online: Access code: 2787 942 0537 Password: DcZGvVpC763