arXiv subjects

Sabri Koraltan

Publications and source records attributed to Sabri Koraltan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Laser-induced metastable (anti-)skyrmion states with higher-order topological charge

Ultrafast creation and manipulation of topologically non-trivial spin objects promises significant potential for spintronic applications. Here, we demonstrate laser-induced nucleation of skyrmions and antiskyrmions with topological charge up to $|Q|=3$ from the saturated magnetization state of a Co/Ni-multilayer which does not intrinsically host a skyrmionic ground state. The resulting configuration of spin objects thus constitutes a metastable, thermodynamically hidden magnetic state. We control the number and type of spin objects by the excitation fluence and the external out-of-plane magnetic field.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

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.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Magnetization reversal mechanism of double-helix nanowires probed by dark-field magneto-optical Kerr effect

Double-helix (DH) nanowires provide a platform to study the influence of geometric chirality on spin chirality. Their three-dimensional (3D) helical architecture and tunable inter-strand coupling enable control of spin chirality, including the stabilization of topological 3D magnetic states such as helical domains and domain walls, topological stray fields, and extended helical vortex/skyrmion tubes. So far, the study of these and other 3D nanostructures is usually confined to a limited number of magnetic microscopy experiments in large facilities. Here, we investigate the reversal mechanism of a single DH nanowire using Dark-Field magneto-optical Kerr effect (DF-MOKE) magnetometry under external 3D magnetic fields. By analyzing the angular dependence of the DF-MOKE signal, we fit the reversal process using established models for domain-wall nucleation and propagation, finding a characteristic behavior similar to that reported for cylindrical nanowires. Micromagnetic simulations indicate that the reversal process goes through nucleation of the helical vortex tube in a curling manner while ptychographic X-ray magnetic circular dichroism data reveal that this helical vortex tube state forms through a mixed nucleation-propagation process. These observations provide a consistent microscopic picture of reversal mediated by a helical vortex tube extending along the nanowire. Our work provides a comprehensive characterization of magnetization reversal in DH nanowires and demonstrates that DF-MOKE magnetometry is effective for probing reversal mechanisms in single 3D nanostructures. This lab-based approach expands the range of accessible experiments beyond large-scale facilities, enabling extensive exploration of the rich spin states supported by 3D nano-geometries.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Extended Depth of Field Magneto-Optical Kerr Microscopy for Applications in 3D Nanomagnetism

High-resolution imaging of magnetic nanostructures is essential for understanding fundamental spin phenomena and designing advanced devices. Recent developments in three-dimensional (3D) nanomagnetism have highlighted the growing need for imaging techniques that can capture magnetic structures across curved or tilted surfaces with high sensitivity. Though widely used as a powerful technique for imaging magnetization states, conventional magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopy faces inherent limitations in measuring non-planar systems due to its shallow depth of field (DOF). Here, we present an extended depth of field MOKE imaging approach, combining through-focus scanning with image-stitching-based reconstruction, to obtain sharp and well-resolved magnetic domain images across non-planar sample geometries. The method is validated on both perpendicularly and in-plane magnetized films tilted on purpose for this study, enabling quantitative analysis of domain morphology and detection sensitivity. This laboratory-accessible technique provides a fast and versatile route for 3D magnetic imaging, complementing large-scale X-ray-based methods and offering a practical tool for investigating non-planar magnetic samples with tilted or curved 3D geometries.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2025

Nucleation of magnetic skyrmions on curvilinear surfaces using local magnetic fields

Magnetic skyrmions stabilized by interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions (DMI) are promising candidates for applications in memory, logic, and neuromorphic computing. Beyond planar films, theoretical studies predict that curvature can influence skyrmion stability by introducing effective chiral interactions. Here, we investigate skyrmion formation on self-assembled polystyrene particles coated with Pt/Co/Ta multilayers by magnetron sputtering. Vibrating sample magnetometry reveals clear differences in the magnetic reversal behavior of the curvilinear film compared to that of the planar counterpart. Using non-invasive imaging methods such as scanning transmission X-ray microscopy and high-sensitivity in-vacuum magnetic force microscopy (MFM) with low moment magnetic tipcs, we observe a maze domain pattern for the planar films while the curvilinear film reveals three-dimensional spiraling stripe states. By employing a conventional MFM operating under ambient conditions requiring a tip with a higher magnetic moment, we demonstrate that these stripe states can rupture into metastable skyrmions located at the top of the spherical particles by applying consecutive scans. Our results demonstrate that curvilinear films offer an accessible platform for stabilizing single skyrmions using local magnetic field stimuli, opening pathways to study the interplay between interfacial and curvature-induced DMIs and enabling controlled skyrmion writing on three-dimensional magnetic architectures.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

k-Selective Electrical-to-Magnon Transduction with Realistic Field-distributed Nanoantennas

The excitation and detection of propagating spin waves with lithographed nanoantennas underpin both classical magnonic circuits and emerging quantum technologies. Here, we establish a framework for all-electrical propagating spin-wave spectroscopy (AEPSWS) that links realistic electromagnetic drive fields to micromagnetic dynamics. Using finite-element (FE) simulations, we compute the full vector near-field of electrical impedance-matched, tapered coplanar and stripline antennas and import this distribution into finite-difference (FD) micromagnetic solvers. This approach captures the antenna-limited wave-vector spectrum and the component-selective driving fields (perpendicular to the static magnetisation) that simplified uniform-field models cannot. From this coupling, we derive how realistic current return paths and tapering shapes, k-weighting functions, for Damon-Eshbach surface spin waves in yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG) films are, for millimetre-scale matched CPWs and linear tapers down to nanometre-scale antennas. Validation against experimental AEPSWS on a $48\,nm$ YIG film shows quantitative agreement in dispersion ridges, group velocities, and spectral peak positions, establishing that the antenna acts as a tunable k-space filter. These results provide actionable design rules for on-chip magnonic transducers, with immediate relevance for low-power operation regimes and prospective applications in quantum magnonics.

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arXiv2025

Controlling bubble and skyrmion lattice order and dynamics via stripe domain engineering in ferrimagnetic Fe/Gd multilayers

Ferrimagnetic Fe/Gd multilayers host maze-like stripe domains that transform into a disordered bubble/skyrmion lattice under out-of-plane magnetic fields at ambient temperature. Femtosecond magneto-optics distinguishes these textures via their distinct coherent breathing dynamics. Crucially, applying a brief in-plane ``set'' magnetic field to the stripe state enhances both frequency and amplitude of the bubble/skyrmion lattice breathing mode. Lorentz transmission electron microscopy, magnetic force microscopy, and micromagnetic simulations reveal that this enhancement arises from field-aligned stripes nucleating a dense, near-hexagonal bubble/skyrmion lattice upon out-of-plane field application, with strong indications for a pure skyrmion lattice. Thus, modifying the initial domain configuration by in-plane fields enables precise control of coherent magnetization dynamics on picosecond to nanosecond timescales and potentially even of topology.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

SOT Enabled 3D Magnetic Field Sensor with Low Offset and High Sensitivity

In this work we demonstrate a spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic field sensor, designed as a Ta/CoFeB/MgO structure, with high sensitivity and capable of active offset compensation in all three spatial directions. This is described and verified in both experiment and simulation. The measurements of magnetic fields showed an offset of 36, 50, and 37$\mathrm{μT}$ for x-, y-, and z-fields. Furthermore, the sensitivities of these measurements had values of 590, 580, and 490$\mathrm{V\,A^{-1}\,T^{-1}}$ in the x-, y-, and z-direction. In addition, the robustness to bias fields is demonstrated via experiments and single spin simulations by applying bias fields in y-direction. Cross sensitivities were further analyzed via single spin simulations performing a parameter sweep of different bias fields in the y- and z-direction up to $\pm$1mT. Finally, the extraction of the SOT parameters $η_\mathrm{DL}$ and $η_\mathrm{FL}$ is shown via optimization of a single-spin curve to the experimental measurements.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Reconfigurable three dimensional magnetic nanoarchitectures

Three-dimensional (3D) nanomagnetism is a rapidly developing field within magnetic materials research, where exploiting the third dimension unlocks opportunities for innovative applications in areas such as sensing, data storage, and neuromorphic computing. Among various fabrication techniques, focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID) offers high flexibility in creating complex 3D nanostructures with sub-100 nm resolution. A key challenge in the development of 3D nanomagnets is the ability to locally control the magnetic configuration, which is essential to achieve desired functionalities. In this work, the magnetization reversal mechanism of a three-dimensional nanoarchitecture fabricated using focused electron beam-induced deposition is investigated by combining direct observation via scanning transmission X-ray microscopy with finite element micromagnetic simulations. In particular, our investigation shows that the magnetization of the components of a three-dimensional Co3 Fe tetrapod can be reversed individually and sequentially. Finally, it is demonstrated that complete control and reconfigurability of the system can be achieved by tuning the direction of the applied magnetic field.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Pathways to Bubble and Skyrmion Lattice Formation in Fe/Gd Multilayers

The creation and control of magnetic spin textures is of great interest in fundamental research and future device-oriented applications. Fe/Gd multilayers host a rich variety of magnetic textures including topologically trivial bubbles and topologically protected skyrmions. Using time-resolved Kerr spectroscopy, we highlight how various control strategies, including temperature, out-of-plane magnetic fields and femtosecond light excitation, can be used to create such textures via different pathways. We find that varying the magnetic field for constant temperature leads to a different ($H, T$)-phase diagram of magnetic textures than moving along a temperature trajectory for constant magnetic field. Micromagnetic simulations corroborate this finding and allow to visualize the different paths taken. Furthermore, we show that the creation of bubbles and skyrmions in this material via impulsive light excitation is not solely governed by temperature-driven processes, since bubbles and skyrmions can be stabilized in parts of the ($H, T$)-phase diagram, where neither the constant temperature nor the constant magnetic field trajectory predict their existence. Using this phase diagram, we reason why bubble and skyrmion creation in this particular system is only possible from the stripe domain state. Our observations provide a versatile toolkit for tailoring the creation of magnetic spin textures in Fe/Gd multilayers.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Signatures of higher order skyrmionic textures revealed by magnetic force microscopy

Higher-order skyrmions and antiskyrmions are topologically protected spin textures with an integer topological charge other than $\pm 1$ and nucleate from topological point defects in regular Bloch walls, known as vertical Bloch lines. So far, they have only been observed using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. In this work, we show that higher-order spin textures coexisting in Co/Ni multilayers at room temperature can be visualized by high-resolution magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The experimental results are supported by micromagnetic simulations confirming that different spin objects give rise to distinct MFM contrast in full agreement to our observations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Damping Enhancement in YIG at Millikelvin Temperatures due to GGG Substrate

Quantum magnonics aims to exploit the quantum mechanical properties of magnons for nanoscale quantum information technologies. Ferrimagnetic yttrium iron garnet (YIG), which offers the longest magnon lifetimes, is a key material typically grown on gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) substrates for structural compatibility. However, the increased magnetic damping in YIG/GGG systems below 50$\,$K poses a challenge for quantum applications. Here, we study the damping in a 97$\,$nm-thick YIG film on a 500$\,μ$m-thick GGG substrate at temperatures down to 30$\,$mK using ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectroscopy. We show that the dominant physical mechanism for the observed tenfold increase in FMR linewidth at millikelvin temperatures is the non-uniform bias magnetic field generated by the partially magnetized paramagnetic GGG substrate. Numerical simulations and analytical theory show that the GGG-driven linewidth enhancement can reach up to 6.7 times. In addition, at low temperatures and frequencies above 18$\,$GHz, the FMR linewidth deviates from the viscous Gilbert-damping model. These results allow the partial elimination of the damping mechanisms attributed to GGG, which is necessary for the advancement of solid-state quantum technologies.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

NeuralMag: an open-source nodal finite-difference code for inverse micromagnetics

We present NeuralMag, a flexible and high-performance open-source Python library for micromagnetic simulations. NeuralMag leverages modern machine learning frameworks, such as PyTorch and JAX, to perform efficient tensor operations on various parallel hardware, including CPUs, GPUs, and TPUs. The library implements a novel nodal finite-difference discretization scheme that provides improved accuracy over traditional finite-difference methods without increasing computational complexity. NeuralMag is particularly well-suited for solving inverse problems, especially those with time-dependent objectives, thanks to its automatic differentiation capabilities. Performance benchmarks show that NeuralMag is competitive with state-of-the-art simulation codes while offering enhanced flexibility through its Python interface and integration with high-level computational backends.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2024

Energy landscape of noncollinear exchange coupled magnetic multilayers

We conduct an exploration of the energy landscape of two coupled ferromagnetic layers with perpendicular-to-plane uniaxial anisotropy using finite-element micromagnetic simulations. These multilayers can be used to produce noncollinearity in spin-transfer torque magnetic random-access memory cells, which has been shown to increase the performance of this class of computer memory. We show that there exists a range of values of the interlayer exchange coupling constants for which the magnetic state of these multilayers can relax into two energy minima. The size of this region is determined by the difference in the magnitude of the layer anisotropies and is minimized when this difference is large. In this case, there is a wide range of experimentally achievable coupling constants that can produce desirable and stable noncollinear alignment. We investigate the energy barriers separating the local and global minima using string method simulations, showing that the stabilities of the minima increase with increasing difference in the anisotropy of the ferromagnetic layers. We provide an analytical solution to the location of the minima in the energy landscape of coupled macrospins, which has good agreement with our micromagnetic results for a case involving ferromagnetic layers with the same thickness and anisotropy, no demagnetization field, and large exchange stiffness. These results are important to understand how best to employ noncollinear coupling in the next generation of thin film magnetic devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Tailoring the energy landscape of a Bloch point singularity with curvature

Topological defects, or singularities, play a key role in the statics and dynamics of complex systems. In magnetism, Bloch point singularities represent point defects that mediate the nucleation of textures such as skyrmions and hopfions. However, while the textures are typically stabilised in chiral magnets, the influence of chirality on the Bloch point singularities remains relatively unexplored. Here we harness advanced three-dimensional nanofabrication to explore the influence of chirality on Bloch point singularities by introducing curvature-induced symmetry breaking in a ferromagnetic nanowire. Combining X-ray magnetic microscopy with the application of in situ magnetic fields, we demonstrate that Bloch point singularity-containing domain walls are stabilised in straight regions of the sample, and determine that curvature can be used to tune the energy landscape of the Bloch points. Not only are we able to pattern pinning points but, by controlling the gradient of curvature, we define asymmetric potential wells to realise a robust Bloch point shift-register with non-reciprocal behaviour. These insights into the influence of symmetry and chirality on singularities offers a route to the controlled nucleation and propagation of topological textures, providing opportunities for logic and computing devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Field-free switching of perpendicular magnetic elements by using two orthogonal sub nanosecond spin orbit torque pulses

We propose a field-free switching mechanism that utilizes two spatially orthogonal spin-orbit torque (SOT) currents. Initially applied simultaneously, one of the currents is subsequently switched off. The superposition of these two currents results in an in-plane magnetization, which is not orthogonal to the remaining SOT current after the second one is deactivated. This symmetry-breaking procedure leads to reproducible and rapid switching, with field pulse durations as short as 0.25 nanoseconds.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Skyrmionic device for three dimensional magnetic field sensing enabled by spin-orbit torques

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected local magnetic solitons that are promising for storage, logic or general computing applications. In this work, we demonstrate that we can use a skyrmion device based on [W/CoFeB/MgO] 1 0 multilayers for three-dimensional magnetic field sensing enabled by spin-orbit torques (SOT). We stabilize isolated chiral skyrmions and stripe domains in the multilayers, as shown by magnetic force microscopy images and micromagnetic simulations. We perform magnetic transport measurements to show that we can sense both in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic fields by means of a differential measurement scheme in which the symmetry of the SOT leads to cancelation of the DC offset. With the magnetic parameters obtained by vibrating sample magnetometry and ferromagnetic resonance measurements, we perform finite-temperature micromagnetic simulations, where we investigate the fundamental origin of the sensing signal. We identify the topological transformation between skyrmions, stripes and type-II bubbles that leads to a change in the resistance that is read-out by the anomalous Hall effect. Our study presents a novel application for skyrmions, where a differential measurement sensing concept is applied to quantify external magnetic fields paving the way towards more energy efficient applications in skyrmionics based spintronics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Steerable current-driven emission of spin waves in magnetic vortex pairs

The efficient excitation of spin waves is a key challenge in the realization of magnonic devices. We demonstrate the current-driven generation of spin waves in antiferromagnetically coupled magnetic vortices. We employ time-resolved scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (TR-STXM) to directly image the emission of spin waves upon the application of an alternating current flowing directly through the magnetic stack. Micromagnetic simulations allow us to identify the origin of the excitation to be the current-driven Oersted field, which in the present system proves to be orders of magnitude more efficient than the commonly used excitation via stripline antennas. Our numerical studies also reveal that the spin-transfer torque can lead to the emission of spin waves as well, yet only at much higher current amplitudes. By using magnetostrictive materials, we futhermore demonstrate that the direction of the magnon propagation can be steered by increasing the excitation amplitude, which modifies the underlying magnetization profile through an additional anisotropy in the magnetic layers. The demonstrated methods allow for the efficient and tunable excitation of spin waves, marking a significant advance in the generation and control of spin waves in magnonic devices.

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