Research Projects

The emergence of chiral spin textures, such as magnetic skyrmions, has opened new frontiers in spintronics due to their nanoscale dimensions, topological stability, and low-current manipulation. While metallic systems have been extensively studied, oxide heterostructures offer a unique platform where strong electron correlations, robust magnetism, and interface-driven phenomena can be engineered. The combination of 3d transition metal ferromagnets with 5d spin–orbit coupled oxides provides the opportunity to realize interfacial Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI), a key mechanism for stabilizing chiral magnetic textures. This project is motivated by the potential to design and control such textures in 3d–5d oxide heterostructures for future energy-efficient spintronic applications. The scientific objectives of this work are: (i) to synthesize high-quality 3d–5d oxide bilayers and superlattices using pulsed laser deposition (PLD), (ii) to engineer interfacial DMI and magnetic anisotropy via thickness tuning, epitaxial strain, and interface control, (iii) to visualize and analyze chiral spin textures using high-resolution magnetic imaging techniques such as MFM and LTEM, and (iv) to correlate these textures with spin transport signatures through Hall and magnetoresistance measurements. The final aim is to explore current-driven spin texture manipulation relevant for memory and logic device applications. The core hypothesis is that careful control of interface sharpness, strain state, and layer thickness in oxide heterostructures such as La₀.₆₇Sr₀.₃₃MnO₃(LSMO)/SrIrO₃ or SrRuO₃/Pr₂Ir₂O₇(PIO) will induce tunable interfacial DMI sufficient to stabilize skyrmion-like textures, even at or near room temperature. This will be tested using a combination of static and dynamic magnetic characterization, imaging, and magnetotransport studies. Micromagnetic simulations using MuMax3 or Spirit will be employed to validate the experimental results and understand the conditions for skyrmion formation and stability. The main experiments include thin film growth using PLD, interface engineering, structural and magnetic characterization (XRD, TEM, SQUID, XMCD), magnetic imaging (MFM, LTEM), and electrical transport measurements (Hall, magnetoresistance). Simulation tools will be used to model the observed spin textures and quantify DMI under varying experimental conditions. If successful, this project will establish oxide heterostructures as a viable platform for topological spin textures and low-power spintronic devices. It will advance fundamental understanding of interfacial spin–orbit phenomena in correlated oxides and contribute to the long-term goal of realizing room-temperature, current-driven skyrmion motion in oxide-based systems. The results will have broad relevance for both condensed matter physics and next-generation spintronic technologies.