Peter Meisenheimer1,Hongrui Zhang1,David Raftrey2,3,Peter Fischer2,3,Robert Birgeneau1,2,Ramamoorthy Ramesh1,2
University of California, Berkeley1,Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory2,University of California, Santa Cruz3
Peter Meisenheimer1,Hongrui Zhang1,David Raftrey2,3,Peter Fischer2,3,Robert Birgeneau1,2,Ramamoorthy Ramesh1,2
University of California, Berkeley1,Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory2,University of California, Santa Cruz3
Skyrmions are topologically-protected magnetic quasiparticles that are of great interest for their potential use in spintronic memory and logic. This is especially true in systems with native non-centrosymmetry, since the inherent Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction can stabilize a robust topological phase at or near room temperature and zero field. Control and understanding of ensembles of skyrmions is important for realization of devices based on the technology. In particular, the order-disorder transition associated with the 2D lattice of magnetic skyrmions can have significant implications for transport and other dynamic functionality. Here, we investigate the condensation of the skyrmion phase in a polar, Van der Waals magnet. We then demonstrate that we are can engineer an ordered skyrmion crystal through structural confinement, demonstrating control over this order-disorder transition on scales relevant for device applications.