arXiv subjects

Mathias Kläui

Publications and source records attributed to Mathias Kläui.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2026

Angle-Dependent Magnetoresistance Induced by Interface-Generated Spin Current in RuO$_2$/Permalloy Heterostructures

Altermagnets, a recently discovered class of magnetic materials exhibiting ferromagnetic-like spin-split bands and antiferromagnetic-like compensated magnetic order, have attracted significant interest for next-generation spintronic applications. Ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) has emerged as a promising altermagnetic candidate due to its compensated antiparallel magnetic order and strong spin-split electronic bands. However, recent experimental and theoretical reports also suggest that RuO2 may be non-magnetic in its ground state, underscoring the need for deeper investigations into its magnetic character. Specifically, the (100)-oriented RuO2 films are expected to generate spin currents with transverse spin polarization parallel to the Néel vector. Here, we investigate magnetotransport in epitaxial RuO2/Permalloy (Py) heterostructures to examine spin Hall magnetoresistance and interfacial effects generated in such systems. Our measurements reveal a pronounced negative angular-dependent magnetoresistance for variation of magnetic field direction perpendicular to the charge current direction. Detailed temperature-, magnetic field-, and crystallographic orientation-dependent measurements indicate that interface-generated spin current (IGSC) at the RuO2/Py interface predominantly governs the observed magnetoresistance. This shows that strong interface effects dominate over possible altermagnetic contributions from RuO2. Our results show that the role of interface-generated spin currents is crucial and should not be overlooked in studies of altermagnetic systems. A critical step in this direction is disentangling interfacial from altermagnetic contributions. The insight into interfacial contributions from altermagnetic influences is essential for the advancement of RuO2 based spintronic memory and sensing applications.

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arXiv2026

The 2026 Skyrmionics Roadmap

Magnetic skyrmions and related topological spin textures have emerged as a central topic in condensed-matter physics, combining fundamental significance with potential for transformative applications in spintronics, magnonics, and beyond. Over the past decade, advances in material platforms, imaging techniques, theoretical modeling, and device concepts have established skyrmionics as a rapidly expanding field. At the same time, challenges remain in stabilizing, controlling, and integrating such textures into functional architectures, while novel phenomena such as antiskyrmions, higher-order skyrmions, hopfions, and antiferromagnetic textures arise. The 2026 Skyrmionics Roadmap represents a collective effort of many authors, providing a comprehensive perspective on the current state-of-the-art and the outlook for the coming years. In 33 focused sections, each co-authored by two researchers, we chart progress in theory and modeling, material systems, skyrmion dynamics, and skyrmion technologies. By offering a consolidated vision, this Roadmap aims to guide both fundamental research and application-driven efforts, accelerating the transition of skyrmionics from conceptual breakthroughs toward practical technologies.

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arXiv2025

Terahertz switching of antiferromagnetic order by Néel spin-orbit torques

Ultrafast electric manipulation of magnetic order in solids is critical for the development of future terahertz data processing. A fascinating concept for such high-speed operation is offered in metallic antiferromagnets by Néel spin-orbit torque. It should allow one to coherently rotate the ordered spins by simply applying an electric current of suitable amplitude and polarity. However, such switching has been severely hampered by competing heat-induced effects, and it has not yet been achieved on the intrinsically ultrafast time scales of antiferromagnets. Here, we report robust, direction-controlled and non-thermal rotation of the Néel vector $\mathbf{L}$ by $\pm$90° at room temperature in the antiferromagnet Mn$_2$Au driven by phase-locked terahertz current pulses. All observed features are consistent with ultrafast Néel spin-orbit torque: First, nonlinear optical imaging reveals that the terahertz current direction sets the final orientation of $\mathbf{L}$ in the absence of any bias field for at least two months. Second, transient optical birefringence shows that the switching proceeds ultrafast in less than 15 picoseconds. Finally, atomistic spin-dynamics simulations reproduce the observed dynamics and confirm the minor role of thermal effects. While the switching is already one order of magnitude faster than in ferromagnets at comparable dissipated energy, our simulations predict routes toward switching times and energies which are another order of magnitude lower. Our approach can be transferred to electric-field-driven switching in many more antiferromagnets, including magnetoelectric insulators. The engineering of spin torques, resonance frequencies and read-out mechanisms provides an exciting pathway toward on-chip applications of terahertz antiferromagnetic spin-orbitronics.

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arXiv2025

Controlling Skyrmion Lattice Orientation with Local Magnetic Field Gradients

Precise control over the formation and arrangement of magnetic skyrmion lattices is essential for understanding their emergent behavior and advancing their integration into spintronic and magnonic devices. We report on a simple and minimally invasive technique to nucleate and manipulate skyrmion lattices in soft magnetic CoFeB using single-pass magnetic force microscopy (MFM). By tuning the scan-line spacing to match the intrinsic stripe domain periodicity, the stray field gradient from the MFM tip induces reversible transitions from stripe domains to isolated skyrmions and locally ordered lattices. The resulting skyrmion positions are extracted to compute the local orientational order parameter $ψ_6$, enabling quantitative evaluation of lattice ordering. A systematic improvement in $\langle |ψ_6| \rangle$ is observed with repeated scanning, indicating a transition from a disordered state to ordered hexagonal lattices. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the lattice orientation can be deterministically rotated by changing the scanning direction, as confirmed by both real-space analysis and fast Fourier transformations. This method enables the controlled creation, reordering, and deletion of metastable skyrmion textures on demand. Our approach establishes a practical and accessible platform for studying two-dimensional phase behavior in topological spin systems, offering direct and reconfigurable control over lattice symmetry, order, and orientation.

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arXiv2025

Itinerant Orbital Hall Effect Mechanism Leading to Large Negative Orbital Torques from Light Metal Vanadium

The orbital Hall effect (OHE) has attracted significant attention for developing energy-efficient electronic devices. However, utilizing it in fast, low-power devices requires an enhanced understanding of underlying extrinsic and intrinsic contributions to OHE at timescales ranging from quasi-static to picoseconds. Here, we investigate OHE in light metal vanadium (V) using a combination of selected measurement schemes, spanning the full frequency range. We observe a negative damping-like torque efficiency from V, opposite to conventional theoretical predictions, with a magnitude that depends on the adjacent ferromagnet, a dependence that indicates orbital effects. These results, with consistent torque efficiencies across all frequencies, corroborate a negative and intrinsic OHE in V with a large effective orbital Hall conductivity of $-(1.44 \pm 0.34)\,\frac{\hbar}{2e}\,\times 10^{5}\,Ω^{-1}\,\mathrm{m}^{-1}$ and a long orbital diffusion length of $(15.0 \pm 2.5)\,\mathrm{nm}$. To explain the observed OHE, we develop a theoretical model incorporating both local and itinerant circulation contributions to OHE. The model agrees excellently with the experimental results, demonstrating that itinerant contributions are essential for a complete physical understanding of intrinsic OHE. Our consistent experimental and theoretical data highlight the importance of itinerant contributions governing the fundamental understanding of intrinsic OHE and the large effects found open pathways for energy-efficient orbitronic devices.

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arXiv2025

Skyrmion Lattice Order Controlled by Confinement Geometry

Magnetic skyrmions forming two-dimensional (2D) lattices provide a versatile platform for investigating phase transitions predicted by Kosterlitz-Thouless-Halperin-Nelson-Young (KTHNY) theory. While 2D melting in skyrmion systems has been demonstrated, achieving controlled ordering in skyrmion lattices remains challenging due to pinning effects from a non-uniform energy landscape, which often results in polycrystalline structures. Skyrmions in thin films, however, offer thermal diffusion with high tunability and can be directly imaged via Kerr microscopy, enabling real-time observation of their dynamics. To regulate lattice order in such flexible systems, we introduce geometric confinements of varying shapes. Combining Kerr microscopy experiments with Thiele model simulations, we demonstrate that confinement geometry critically influences lattice order. Specifically, hexagonal confinements commensurate with the skyrmion lattice stabilize monodomain hexagonal ordering, while incommensurate geometries induce domain formation and reduce overall order. Understanding these boundary-driven effects is essential for advancing the study of 2D phase behavior and for the design of skyrmion-based spintronic applications, ranging from memory devices to unconventional computing architectures.

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arXiv2025

Correlating on-the-fly Electrical and Optical Skyrmion Readout

Magnetic skyrmions, topologically stabilized spin textures, are promising candidates for future memory devices and non-conventional computing applications due to their enhanced stability, non-linear interactions, and low-power manipulation capabilities. Despite their significant potential, the reliable electrical readout of individual skyrmions remains a fundamental challenge. While magnetic tunnel junctions and anomalous Hall effect (AHE)-based techniques have demonstrated skyrmion detection capabilities, they currently fail to reliably detect single moving skyrmions as required for applications. Our approach leverages thermally activated skyrmions, where a low constant drive current simultaneously generates both skyrmion motion and the Hall voltage necessary for detection. We demonstrate the reliability of this method through real-time correlation between measured Hall voltage signals and direct Kerr microscopy imaging. Two consecutive Hall crosses allow for determining the skyrmion velocity, in accordance to Kerr microscopy videos. We present an analytical formula for the skyrmion AHE readout signal, demonstrating scalability from micrometer to nanometer skyrmions. These advances establish a robust platform for skyrmion-based sensors, counters and unconventional computing systems that depend on precise individual skyrmion control and detection.

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arXiv2025

Predicting the future with magnons

Forecasting complex, chaotic signals is a central challenge across science and technology, with implications ranging from secure communications to climate modeling. Here we demonstrate that magnons - the collective spin excitations in magnetically ordered materials - can serve as an efficient physical reservoir for predicting such dynamics. Using a magnetic microdisk in the vortex state as a magnon-scattering reservoir, we show that intrinsic nonlinear interactions transform a simple microwave input into a high-dimensional spectral output suitable for reservoir computing, in particular, for time series predictions. Trained on the Mackey-Glass benchmark, which generates a cyclic yet aperiodic time series widely used to test machine-learning models, the system achieves accurate and reliable predictions that rival state-of-the-art physical reservoirs. We further identify key design principles: spectral resolution governs the trade-off between dimensionality and accuracy, while combining multiple device geometries systematically improves performance. These results establish magnonics as a promising platform for unconventional computing, offering a path toward scalable and CMOS-compatible hardware for real-time prediction tasks.

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arXiv2025

Persistent Homology-Based Indicator of Orientational Ordering in Two-Dimensional Quasi-Particle Systems Applied to Skyrmion Lattices

Two-dimensional (2D) particle systems, such as magnetic skyrmions, exhibit topological phase transitions between unique 2D phases. However, a simple and computationally efficient methodology to capture lattice configurational properties and construct an appropriate, easily calculable descriptor for phase identification remains elusive. Here, we propose an indicator for topological phase transitions using persistent homology (PH). PH offers novel insights beyond conventional indicators by capturing topological features derived from the configurational properties of the lattice. The proposed persistent-homology-based indicator, which selectively counts stable features in a persistence diagram, effectively traces the lattice's ordering changes, as confirmed by comparisons with the conventionally used measure of the ordering (the magnitude of the orientational order parameter $\langle|Ψ_6|\rangle$), typically used to identify lattice phases. We demonstrate the applicability of our indicator to experimental data, showing that it yields results consistent with those of simulations. This experimental validation highlights the robustness of the proposed method for real physical systems beyond idealized simulated systems. While our method is demonstrated in the context of skyrmion lattice systems, the approach is general and can be extended to other two-dimensional systems composed of interacting particles. As a key advantage, our indicator offers lower computational complexity than the conventionally used measures.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

Real-Time Modeling of Skyrmion Dynamics in Arbitrary 2D Spatially Dependent Pinning Potential Landscapes

Non-flat energy landscapes leading to localized pinning of skyrmions pose an inherent and unavoidable challenge for studies of fundamental 2D spin structure dynamics as well as applications. Accounting for pinning is a key requirement for predictive modeling of skyrmion systems, as it impacts the systems' dynamics and introduces randomizing effects. In this article, we use magneto-optical Kerr microscopy to image skyrmions in a magnetic thin film system in real time and analyze their hopping dynamics within the non-flat energy landscape. To achieve a fully quantitative model, we utilize skyrmion diffusion and dwell times at pinning sites to extrapolate the pinning energy landscape into regions that cannot be sampled on reasonable experimental time scales. For evaluation with a coarse-grained Thiele model, we perform long-time measurements of skyrmion diffusion and then develop a two-step procedure to determine simulation parameters by comparing them to experimentally accessible behavior. This provides a direct conversion between simulation and experimental units, which is the missing key step that has previously prevented quantitative quasiparticle modeling. We demonstrate the predictive power of our approach by measuring the experimentally unexplored density dependence of skyrmion diffusion and show that it is in excellent agreement with simulation predictions. Our technique thus enables quantitative skyrmion simulations on experimental time and length scales, allowing for predictive in-silico prototyping of skyrmion devices.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

Challenges and opportunities in orbitronics

The spin of the electron has been a key enabler to realize spintronics devices that harness the spin degree of freedom beyond conventional charge-based electronics. In addition to spin, electrons have another degree of freedom associated with the angular momentum: orbital angular momentum. While spintronics has evolved fast and spintronics concepts are now used in magnetic sensors and nonvolatile memories, exploiting orbital angular momentum has just started to be studied. Phenomena mediated by orbital angular momentum have led to a new branch of spintronics called orbitronics. This Perspective discusses how orbitronics can constitute the next step in the evolution of spintronics by reviewing the current understandings and experimental results of orbital effects and summarizing the open questions. Prospects and challenges for devices in particular in non-volatile memory are discussed as an applications perspective.

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arXiv2025

Observation of a non-reciprocal skyrmion Hall effect of hybrid chiral skyrmion tubes in synthetic antiferromagnetic multilayers

A hybrid chiral skyrmion tube is a well-known example of a 3D topological spin texture, exhibiting an intriguing chirality transition along the thickness direction. This transition progresses from left-handed to right-handed Néel-type chirality, passing through a Bloch-type intermediate state. Such an exotic spin configuration potentially exhibits distinctly different dynamics from that of the common skyrmion tube that exhibits a homogeneous chirality; yet these dynamics have not been ascertained so far. Here we reveal the distinct features of current-induced dynamics that result from the hybrid chiral skyrmion tube structure in synthetic antiferromagnetic (SyAFM) multilayers. Strikingly, the SyAFM hybrid chiral skyrmion tubes exhibit a non-reciprocal skyrmion Hall effect in the flow regime. The non-reciprocity can even be tuned by the degree of magnetic compensation in the SyAFM systems. Our theoretical modeling qualitatively corroborates that the non-reciprocity stems from the dynamic oscillation of skyrmion helicity during its current-induced motion. The findings highlight the critical role of the internal degrees of freedom of these complex skyrmion tubes for their current-induced dynamics.

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arXiv2025

Depth Profiling of Oxygen Migration in Ta/HfO2 Stacks During Ionic Liquid Gating

Ionic liquid (IL) gating has emerged as a powerful tool to control the structural, electronic, optical, and magnetic properties of materials by driving ion motion at solid interfaces. In magneto-ionic systems, electric fields are used to move ions, typically oxygen, from a donor layer into an underlying magnetic metal. Although oxygen distribution is key to enabling precise and stable control in magneto-ionic systems, the spatial distribution and voltage-dependence of oxygen incorporation in such nanoscale stacks remain unknown. Here, we quantify oxygen depth profiles and oxide formation in Si/ SiO2/ Ta (15)/ HfO2 (t) films after IL gating as a function of the gate voltage and HfO2 capping thickness (2 and 3 nm). X-ray reflectivity and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements revealed a threshold electric field of ~ -2.8 MV/cm to initiate oxygen migration from HfO2 into metallic Ta. The resulting Ta2O5 thickness increases linearly with gate voltage, reaching up to 4 nm at -3 V gating. Notably, the required electric field rises with oxide thickness, indicating a progressively growing barrier for thicker oxide films. The Ta/Ta2O5 interface remains atomically sharp for all gate voltages. This suggests that complete Ta2O5 layers form sequentially before further oxygen penetration, with no sign of deeper diffusion into bulk Ta. Thinner capping layers enhance oxidation, relevant for optimized stack design. Additionally, indium migration from the indium tin oxide electrode to the sample surface was observed, which should be considered for surface-sensitive applications. These insights advance design principles for magneto-ionic and nanoionic devices requiring precise interface engineering.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Multi-value Probabilistic Computing with current-controlled Skyrmion Diffusion

Magnetic systems are highly promising for implementing probabilistic computing paradigms because of the fitting energy scales and conspicuous non-linearities. While conventional binary probabilistic computing has been realized, implementing more advantageous multi-value probabilistic computing (MPC) remains a challenge. Here, we report the realization of MPC by leveraging the thermally activated diffusion of magnetic skyrmions through an effectively non-flat energy landscape defined by a discrete number of pinning sites. The time-averaged spatial distribution of the diffusing skyrmions directly realizes a discrete probability distribution, which is tunable by current-generated spin-orbit torques, and can be quantified by non-perturbative electrical measurements. Even a very straightforward implementation with global tuning, already allows us to demonstrate the softmax computation - a core function in artificial intelligence. As a key advance, we demonstrate invertible logic without the need to create a network of probabilistic devices, offering major scalability advantages. Our proof of concept can be generalized to multiple skyrmions and can accommodate multiple locally tunable inputs and outputs using magnetic tunnel junctions, potentially enabling the representation of highly complex distribution functions.

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arXiv2025

Antiferromagnetic Skyrmion Scattering Revealed by Direct Time-Resolved Imaging of Collective Dynamics

Scattering analysis offers a fundamental route to revealing particle interactions with direct implications for device technologies relying on ensembles of particles such as magnetic skyrmions. Here, we directly visualize, in real time, the nanosecond current-driven dynamics of an antiferromagnetic (AFM) skyrmion lattice using element-specific pump-probe X-ray microscopy. By tuning spin-orbit torque relative to local pinning potentials, we reveal two regimes: incoherent flow, where mobile skyrmions scatter from pinned ones, inducing recoil dynamics with 3-20 ns relaxation, and coherent flow, where the lattice translates uniformly. Quantification of the reproducible post-pulse relaxation trajectories via an inverse analyis method based on the Thiele equation yields the nanoscale AFM skyrmion-skyrmion scattering potential, which decays exponentially with a range of 30 nm, in full agreement with micromagnetic simulations. At higher current densities, the lattice exhibits coherent motion free from detectable Hall and inertial effects or dynamical deformation, enabling robust GHz operation. These findings establish a quantitative framework for AFM skyrmion interactions and demonstrate deterministic control of their collective dynamics over billions of cycles even in the incoherent flow regime, thereby paving the way for multi-skyrmion spintronic devices.

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arXiv2025

Altermagnetic magnon transport in the \textit{d}-wave altermagnet \ch{LuFeO3}

Altermagnets exhibit a spin-split band structure despite having zero net magnetization, leading to special magnonic properties such as anisotropic magnon lifetimes and field-free spin transport. Here, we present a direct experimental demonstration of non-local magnon transport in the \textit{d}-wave altermagnet \ch{LuFeO3}, using both spin Seebeck and spin Hall effect-based injection and detection. We observe a non-local spin signal at zero magnetic field when the transport is along an altermagnetic direction, but not for transport along other directions. The observed sign reversal between two distinct altermagnetic directions in the spin Seebeck response demonstrates the altermagnetic nature of the magnon transport. In contrast, when transport is aligned along or perpendicular to the easy axis, both the first-harmonic signal and the sign-reversal effect vanish, consistent with symmetry-imposed suppression. These findings are supported by atomistic spin dynamics simulations, as well as linear spin wave theory calculations, which explain how our altermagnetic system hosts anisotropic spin Seebeck transport. Our results provide direct evidence of direction-dependent magnon splitting in altermagnets and highlight their potential for field-free magnonic spin transport, offering a promising pathway for low-power spintronic applications.

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arXiv2025

Revealing the Altermagnetism in Hematite via XMCD Imaging and Anomalous Hall Electrical Transport

Altermagnets are a class of magnetic materials that exhibit unconventional transport properties, such as an anomalous Hall effect, despite having compensated sublattice magnetic moments. In this study, we report fundamental experimental evidence of the altermagnetic nature of hematite ($α$-\ch{Fe2O3}), combining electrical transport with advanced XPEEM imaging with linear and circular dichroism contrast. Our measurements directly visualize the Néel vector's coupling to the crystal orientation, confirming hematite's altermagnetic order and its symmetry-driven transport behavior. Transport measurements reveal an anisotropic AHE with a pronounced crystal orientation dependence, including a sign inversion for specific Néel vector alignments. Supported by first-principles theoretical calculations, we explain how the interplay between collinear spin and crystal symmetry breaking drives the observed anomalous Hall effect. These findings establish hematite as an altermagnet, paving the way for experimental identification of altermagnetic materials and their integration into spintronic technologies.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Switchable Exchange Bias Resulting from Correlated Domain Structures in Orthogonally Coupled Antiferromagnet/Ferromagnet van der Waals Heterostructures

Van der Waals (vdW) magnetic heterostructures offer a versatile platform for engineering interfacial spin interactions with atomic precision, enabling nontrivial spin textures and dynamic behaviors. In this work, we report robust asymmetric magnetization reversal and exchange bias in Fe3GeTe2 (FGT), driven by interlayer exchange coupling with the A-type antiferromagnet CrSBr. Despite the orthogonal magnetic anisotropies out-of-plane easy axis in FGT and in-plane in CrSBr, we observe a strong interfacial exchange interaction that gives rise to pronounced and switchable exchange bias and asymmetric switching in FGT, persisting up to the Néel temperature of CrSBr (132 K) as revealed by anomalous Hall effect measurements. We uncover the microscopic origin of this behavior through cross-sectional magnetic imaging of the domain structure using off-axis electron holography. The results reveal that the asymmetric switching and exchange bias arise from the influence of CrSBr on the domain configuration of FGT, where the in-plane antiferromagnetic state of CrSBr promotes the formation of stripe-like domain structures in FGT with circular rotation of magnetization in the cross-sectional bc plane defined by the easy axes of both FGT and CrSBr. These findings elucidate the mechanism of exchange bias in orthogonally coupled van der Waals systems and demonstrate a pathway for stabilizing three-dimensional domain structures in ferromagnets through interfacial exchange interactions.

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