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Long-range magnetic coupling between nanoscale organic–metal hybrids mediated by a nanoskyrmion lattice

Nature Nanotechnology volume 9, pages 1018–1023 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

The design of nanoscale organic–metal hybrids with tunable magnetic properties as well as the realization of controlled magnetic coupling between them open gateways for novel molecular spintronic devices. Progress in this direction requires a combination of a clever choice of organic and thin-film materials, advanced magnetic characterization techniques with a spatial resolution down to the atomic length scale, and a thorough understanding of magnetic properties based on first-principles calculations. Here, we make use of carbon-based systems of various nanoscale size, such as single coronene molecules and islands of graphene, deposited on a skyrmion lattice of a single atomic layer of iron on an iridium substrate, in order to tune the magnetic characteristics (for example, magnetic moments, magnetic anisotropies and coercive field strengths) of the organic–metal hybrids. Moreover, we demonstrate long-range magnetic coupling between individual organic–metal hybrids via the chiral magnetic skyrmion lattice, thereby offering viable routes towards spin information transmission between magnetically stable states in nanoscale dimensions.

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Figure 1: SP-STM images of Cor–FM units embedded in a SkX under an external magnetic field.
Figure 2: Magnetic switching fields of organic–FM units embedded in a SkX measured by SP-STM.
Figure 3: Adsorption geometry, magnetic moment μ, exchange coupling constant J and magnetic anisotropy energy constant K for graphene and coronene on an Fe monolayer on Ir(111) by DFT.
Figure 4: Magnetic coupling of Cor–FM units via a SkX by SP-STM.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge financial support from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 668 and SPP 1538) and from the European Union (ERC Advanced Grant FURORE). Computations were performed under the auspices of the Kommision zur Vergabe von Supercomputing Ressourcen (computer JUROPA) and the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing (the high-performance computer JUQUEEN operated by the Jülich Supercomputing Centre at the Forschungszentrum Jülich). J.B. is grateful for insightful discussions with A. Kubetzka and K. von Bergmann and for help from R. Decker before this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Applied Physics and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center Hamburg, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, D-20355, Germany

    Jens Brede & Roland Wiesendanger

  2. Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-1) and Institute of Advanced Simulation (IAS-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich and JARA, Jülich, 52428, Germany

    Nicolae Atodiresei, Vasile Caciuc, Ali Al-Zubi & Stefan Blügel

  3. Institute of Physics, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznan, Poland,

    Maciej Bazarnik

  4. Institute of Applied Physics and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center Hamburg, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, D-20355, Germany

    Maciej Bazarnik

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  1. Jens Brede
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Contributions

J.B. and N.A. conceived the experiment. J.B. carried out the measurements and analysed the experimental data. M.B. supported the measurements. N.A., V.C. and A.A-Z. carried out and analysed the DFT calculations. J.B. and R.W. wrote the manuscript. All authors discussed the results and commented on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jens Brede or Nicolae Atodiresei.

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Brede, J., Atodiresei, N., Caciuc, V. et al. Long-range magnetic coupling between nanoscale organic–metal hybrids mediated by a nanoskyrmion lattice. Nature Nanotech 9, 1018–1023 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2014.235

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