Skyrmions move at record speeds: a step towards the computing of the future

An international research team led by scientists from the CNRS¹ has discovered that the magnetic nanobubbles² known as skyrmions can be moved by electrical currents, attaining record speeds up to 900 m/s.

Anticipated as future bits in computer memory, these nanobubbles offer enhanced avenues for information processing in electronic devices. Their tiny size³ provides great computing and information storage capacity, as well as low energy consumption.

Until now, these nanobubbles moved no faster than 100 m/s, which is too slow for computing applications. However, thanks to the use of an antiferromagnetic material⁴ as medium, the scientists successfully had the skyrmions move 10 times faster than previously observed.

These results, which were published in Science on 19 March, offer new prospects for developing higher-performance and less energy-intensive computing devices.

This study is part of the SPIN national research programme⁵ launched on 29 January, which supports innovative research in spintronics, with a view to helping develop a more agile and enduring digital world.

notes : 

1 – The French laboratories involved are SPINTEC (CEA/CNRS/Université Grenoble Alpes), the Institut Néel (CNRS), and the Charles Coulomb Laboratory (CNRS/Université de Montpellier).

2 – A skyrmion consists of elementary nanomagnets (“spins”) that wind to form a highly stable spiral structure, like a tight knot.

3 – The size of a skyrmion can reach a few nanometres, which is to say approximately a dozen atoms.

4 – Antiferromagnetic stacks consist of two nano-sized ferromagnetic layers (such as cobalt) separated by a think non-magnetic layer, with opposite magnetisation.

5 – The SPIN priority research programme and equipment (PEPR) is an exploratory programme in connection with the France 2030 investment plan.