Size-dependence and high temperature stability of radial vortex magnetic textures imprinted by superconductor stray fields

• Main Authors: Sanchez-Manzano, D, Orfila, G, Sander, A, Marcano, L, Gallego, F, Mawass, M. A, Grilli, F, Arora, A, Peralta, A, Cuellar, F. A, Fernandez-Roldan, J. A, Reyren, N, Kronast, F, Leon, C, Rivera-Calzada, A, Villegas, J. E, Santamaria, J, Valencia, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 17-10-2023
• Subjects: Physics - Materials Science; Physics - Superconductivity
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2310.11298

Swirling spin textures, including topologically non-trivial states, such as
skyrmions, chiral domain walls, and magnetic vortices, have garnered
significant attention within the scientific community due to their appeal from
both fundamental and applied points of view. However, their creation,
controlled manipulation, and stability are typically constrained to certain
systems with specific crystallographic symmetries, bulk, or interface
interactions, and/or a precise stacking sequence of materials. Here, we make
use of the stray field of YBa2Cu3O7-{\delta} superconducting microstructures in
ferromagnet/superconductor hybrids to imprint magnetic radial vortices in
permalloy at temperatures below the superconducting transition temperature
(TC), a method easily extended to other ferromagnets with in-plane magnetic
anisotropy. We examine the size dependence and temperature stability of the
imprinted magnetic configurations. We show that above TC, magnetic domains
retain memory of the imprinted spin texture. Micromagnetic modelling coupled
with a SC field model reveals that the stabilization mechanism leading to this
memory effect is mediated by microstructural defects. Superconducting control
of swirling spin textures below and above the superconducting transition
temperature holds promising prospects for shaping spintronics based on magnetic
textures.