Development of resonant soft x-ray small-angle scattering method for observing magnetic texture

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H05990
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Quantum beam science
• Research Institution: National Institute for Materials Science (2017-2018); The University of Tokyo (2016)
• Principal Investigator: Yamasaki Yuichi 国立研究開発法人物質・材料研究機構, 統合型材料開発・情報基盤部門, 主任研究員 (70571610)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 共鳴X線散乱

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to observe nanometer-scale vortex-like magnetic structures called magnetic skyrmions by means of resonant soft x-ray small-angle scattering. Resonant soft x-ray scattering is an element-selective method that can observe the magnetic state by using soft x-rays of energy corresponding to the absorption edge of the target element. Using this method, we observed how magnetic skyrmions are generated and annihilated by an application of external electric field, and how magnetic structures change from magnetic skyrmions to magnetic chiral soliton lattices by tensile strain from the substrate. We also succeeded in reconstructing a real space image element-selectively with a spatial resolution of several tens of nanometers by a phase retrieval algorithm from a diffraction pattern obtained using coherent soft x-rays.

Free Research Field

物性物理

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

磁気スキルミオンはトポロジカルに安定な構造であるためスピントロニクスデバイスなどへの応用が期待されている。その特性を理解し性能を向上させるためには、デバイスが駆動している状態で磁気スキルミオンの挙動を観測し解明することが求められる。本研究で確立した共鳴軟X線小角散乱法は、動作状態での磁気スキルミオンを観測するのに適した手法であり、スピントロニクス材料の開発やデバイスのオペランド計測において強力な先端計測手法になり得ることを示せた。