Complex magnetic textures in Ni/Ir$_{n}$/Pt(111) ultrathin films

Abstract

A combined approach using first-principles calculations and spin dynamics simulations is applied to study Ni/Ir$_{n}$/Pt(111) ($n=0,1,2$) films. The lowest-energy states are predicted to be spin-spirals but with a minute (of the order of a few $\mu$eV/atom) energy difference with skyrmionic states. The spontaneous low temperature skyrmions, with $\sim15$ nm to $\sim35$ nm size, arise from a large Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) and Heisenberg exchange interactions ratio and, in particular, from a large in-plane DM vector component for nearest neighbors. The skyrmions become larger and more dispersed with the enhancement of the Ir buffer thickness. Also, with increasing $n$, the skyrmions stability decrease when an external magnetic field is applied or the temperature is raised. For $n=0$ and $n=1$, we found that metastable skyrmioniums can occur, which are characterized by a slightly lower stability with respect to the external fields and larger critical currents, compared to skyrmions.