Unlocking magnetic skyrmions for next-generation magnetic memories

Magnetic skyrmions - topologically protected spin textures - have promising atributes for next-generation information carriers. Longstanding challenges in stabilizing skyrmions within magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) - the building blocks of magnetic memory - have presented a critical impediment to their technological potential. Here, we employ interlayer coupling to engineer skyrmion energetics and kinetics, achieving stable zero-field skyrmions with desired configuration and density. We thus fabricate nanoscale chiral MTJs on 200mm wafer platform, which can nucleate distinctly-sized individual skyrmions, realizing 3-4 non-volatile electrical states. The MTJ can write and delete skyrmions to the uniform state with switching energy 1,000 times lower than state-of-the-art. Here, the applied voltage emulates a magnetic field, and reshapes the switching energetics and kinetics. Wafer-scale demonstrations of large-readout, efficient switching, and lateral manipulation create a unique platform for all-electrical skyrmions towards multi-bit memory and unconventional computing applications.