Fig. 5: Artificial skyrmion lattice patterned by X-ray illumination.
From: Creating zero-field skyrmions in exchange-biased multilayers through X-ray illumination
a Triangular skyrmion lattice. b Square skyrmion lattice. The sample used here consists of Ta (3 nm)/[Pt (1.5 nm)/Co (0.8 nm)/IrMn (5 nm)]12/Ta (2 nm). The sample has a uniform exchange bias (induced during the deposition process via an applied external field) and exhibits single domain at zero field. During the creation of the skyrmion lattice, a magnetic field of −200 mT (opposite to the as-grown exchange bias direction) is applied. The scale bar in b is 1 μm.
