Spintec invites application for postdoctoral positions in spintronics on electrical control of magnetic skyrmions.
Chirality of a skyrmion is inverted when a gate voltage is applied, which leads to a change of its motion direction under an injected current.
Magnetic skyrmions are nontrivial spiral spin textures considered as potential building blocks for ultrafast and power efficient spintronic memory and logic devices. Controlling their chirality would provide an additional degree of freedom and enable new functionalities in these devices. Achieving such control requires adjusting the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI). Spintec has recently demonstrated at room temperature that gate electric field is efficient to control skyrmions [1] and DMI amplitude [2].
The post-doc is opened in the framework of ANR ADMIS project that aims to study and implement in magnetic skyrmion-based devices the local, dynamic and volatile or remanent control of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DMI) interaction, using a gate voltage. This would allow to obtain pre-programmable or reprogrammable variations of the DMI for memory and/or logic type uses or to develop neuromorphic skyrmionics. The objectives of this post-doc position will therefore be: (1) to better understand the origin of the DMI in the ultrathin heavy metal/ferromagnetic/oxide trilayers, its dependence on the type of oxide, the oxidation state of the ferromagnetic/oxide interface and its sensitivity to electric fields, (2) to achieve a reversible or irreversible local control of the DMI and in particular of its sign and finally (3) to design and fabricate proof of concept devices using this electrical control of the DMI and skyrmions.
Candidates should hold a PhD in solid state physics, nanophysics or equivalent discipline. An experience in spintronics, material growth and nanofabrication would be an asset. This position is part of a larger project with the aim of advancing fundamental knowledge on magnetic skyrmions for memory and logic technology applications.
Applications must include a CV, a motivation letter and be posted at this link: https://bit.ly/3cstEJd%C2%A3. The position is expected to start in December 2020. Spintec is located in Grenoble, France. For more information please contact Hélène BEA.
[1] M. Schott et al., Nano Lett. 17, 3006 (2017)
[2] T. Srivastava et al., Nano Lett. 18, 4871 (2018)
