Avalanches and Criticality in Driven Magnetic Skyrmions

S. A. Díaz, C. Reichhardt, D. P. Arovas, A. Saxena, and C. J. O. Reichhardt
Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 117203 – Published 15 March 2018

Abstract

We show using numerical simulations that slowly driven Skyrmions interacting with random pinning move via correlated jumps or avalanches. The avalanches exhibit power-law distributions in their duration and size, and the average avalanche shape for different avalanche durations can be scaled to a universal function, in agreement with theoretical predictions for systems in a nonequilibrium critical state. A distinctive feature of Skyrmions is the influence of the nondissipative Magnus term. When we increase the ratio of the Magnus term to the damping term, a change in the universality class of the behavior occurs, the average avalanche shape becomes increasingly asymmetric, and individual avalanches exhibit motion in the direction perpendicular to their own density gradient.

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  • Received 6 December 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.117203

© 2018 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied PhysicsNonlinear DynamicsInterdisciplinary PhysicsStatistical Physics & Thermodynamics

Authors & Affiliations

S. A. Díaz1,2,*, C. Reichhardt1, D. P. Arovas2, A. Saxena1, and C. J. O. Reichhardt1

  • 1Theoretical Division and Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
  • 2Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA

  • *Present address: Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.

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Vol. 120, Iss. 11 — 16 March 2018

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