Skyrmions near defects

Abstract

We study the impact of an exchange-reducing defect on a skyrmion in a thin film of finite thickness. Attraction of the skyrmion to a defect is demonstrated in a lattice model by computing the micromagnetic energy accounting for the exchange, Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, magnetic anisotropy, and dipole-dipole coupling. The spiraling dynamics of the skyrmion toward the defect is illustrated by solving numerically the full Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equations on a lattice and, independently, by solving the Thiele equation, with the two methods in agreement with each other. Depinning of the skyrmion by the current is investigated. We find that the skyrmion deforms when it is close to the defect. Deformation is small in the parameter space far from the phase boundary that determines stability of skyrmions. It increases dramatically near the phase boundary, leading to the transformation of the skyrmion by the defect into a snake-like magnetic domain.