Work

Dynamic motion of individual polar skyrmion under stress gradient: A phase-field simulation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Polar skyrmions, as topologically protected nanostructures, hold great promise for next-generation nanoelectronic devices. However, the controlled dynamic motion of individual skyrmions in ferroelectrics, particularly their driving mechanisms, remains challenging. Using phase-field simulations, this study systematically investigated the stress-gradient-driven directional motion of a single polar skyrmion. The results demonstrate that a stress gradient can effectively drive the skyrmion towards regions of higher stress. The skyrmion’s velocity shows a linear relationship with the stress gradient magnitude, while its mobility exhibits a parabolic monotonic decrease with increasing local stress. A quantitative model was established, revealing that the velocity is governed by the coupled effects of local stress and the stress gradient. This motion is identified as a spontaneous process driven by the reduction of the system’s total free energy. Our findings provide an important theoretical foundation for developing stress-field-controlled nanoelectronic devices.

Source: Journal of Advanced Dielectrics

DOI: 10.1142/s2010135x26400059

Authors: Zhi-Yu Zhang, Yun-Long Tang, Yu-Jia Wang

Institutions: University of Science and Technology of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Metal Research, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science

Language: English

Topic: Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Materials

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Liaoning Revitalization Talents Program

Awards: G1519716137, G2630948576, G4143299477, G8424504547