Condensed Matter Seminars

Skyrmions are topologically protected magnetic quasi-particles. An isolate skyrmion is a metastable state of ferromagnet. The metastable state of skyrmions have a finite lifetime at non zero temperature which depends on energy barrier and attempt frequency. I will talk about how we are trying to calculate lifetime of skyrmion in candidate Heuslers compounds. Materials with different symmetry groups can support different kind of skyrmions (Bloch, Neel, Anti-skyrmion). We will see how this different types of symmetries can be used to control movements of a skyrmion. Also, we will look at how presence of point defects can effect dynamics of skyrmion, either for movement or nucleation. The ultimate goal is to figure out a compact analytical model for describing skyrmion movement and critical spin current needed for nucleation.