Optimising the Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy of Topological Insulator/Magnetic Multilayer Heterostructures through Buffer Layer Tuning

Exploiting topology in quantum matter offers unique possibilities to engineer materials at the nanoscale that can have transformative potential. Recognised in the 2016 Nobel prize for physics, topology is central to a number of contemporary topics in condensed matter physics. Here we combine two classes: topological insulators (TIs) and topologically protected skyrmions to search for an energy efficient method for computation and storage. This hybrid system has the potential to move information carrying skyrmions in a highly efficient manner as a result of the giant spin-orbit torques present in the system arising from the spin-momentum locked surface states in the TI. In this work we wish to understand the nanoscale magnetic structure in this system, in particular the interface between the TI and metallic multilayer and relate this to its functionality . We will combine the results with x-ray imaging and conventional magnetometry.