Impacts of the half-skyrmion spin topology, spin-orbit torque, and dynamic symmetry breaking on the growth of magnetic stripe domains

Abstract

We have performed an experimental and modeling-based study of the spin-orbit torque-induced growth of magnetic stripe domains in heavy metal/ferromagnet thin-film heterostructures that possess chiral N\'eel-type domain walls due to an interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. In agreement with previous reports, the stripe domains stabilized in these systems exhibit a significant transverse growth velocity relative to the applied current axis. This behavior has previously been attributed to the Magnus force-like skyrmion Hall effect of the stripe domain spin topology, which is analogous to that of a half-skyrmion. However, through analytic modeling of the in-plane torques generated by spin-orbit torque, we find that a dynamical reconfiguration of the domain wall magnetization profile is expected to occur - promoting motion with similar directionality and symmetry as the skyrmion Hall effect. These results further highlight the sensitivity of spin-orbit torque to the local orientation of the domain wall magnetization profile and its contribution to domain growth directionality.