PhD Studentship: Multi-scale models of the finite temperature behaviour of skyrmions

Skyrmionics is emerging as one of the most significant areas in magnetism with prospects to shape the research over the next decade. It offers potential for development of novel low-cost and energy-efficient information storage and processing technologies, and magneto-electronic sensors and devices, for example. Fundamentally, skyrmions are excitations of matter whose occurrence and collective properties are still mysterious, and several urgent questions need to be answered. For example, it is necessary to uncover the general principles of phase transitions that lead to the formation of the skyrmion phase in materials, including the understanding of the detailed nature of the skyrmion phase and its potential deployment for the future device design 1, 2.

This project will address this question by developing and applying the state-of-the-art modelling bridging the abinitio methods and large-scale spin models in a unified multiscale simulation framework. The techniques to study the static and dynamic nature of the skyrmion phase transitions to establish the detailed magnetic field- and temperature-dependent phase diagrams of experimentally relevant materials are likely to include computationally efficient Monte Carlo and Langevin dynamics methods 3, and micromagnetic models. The project is theory and computation oriented but close involvement with experimental groups as project partners will be expected.

We seek high calibre graduates in Physics, Engineering or Mathematics with a high degree of computer programming proficiency and strong mathematical skills. Basic familiarity with statistical mechanics and magnetism is desirable. Funding notes: Stipend and fees for 3 years. Eligibility UK/EU.

Southampton is hosting the EPSRC’s Centre for Doctoral Training in Next Generation Computational Modelling which offers a range of computation related training opportunities.

References:

1 S. Mühlbauer, et. al., “Skyrmion lattice in a chiral magnet”, Science 323, 915 (2009).

2 H. Oike, et. al., “Interplay between topological and thermodynamic stability in a metastable magnetic skyrmion lattice”, Nature Physics 12, 62 (2016).

3 S. Buhrandt, L. Fritz, “Skyrmion lattice phase in three-dimensional chiral magnets from Monte Carlo simulations”, Physical Review B 88, 195137 (2013)

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Ondrej Hovorka (o.hovorka@soton.ac.uk, Tel: +44 (0) 2380 59 4898) or Prof. Hans Fangohr (h.fangohr@soton.ac.uk , Tel: ) of the FEE - Computational Engineering research group

This project is run through participation in the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Next Generation Computational Modelling (http://ngcm.soton.ac.uk). For details of our 4 Year PhD programme, please see http://www.findaphd.com/search/PhDDetails.aspx?CAID=331&LID;=2652

For a details of available projects click here http://www.ngcm.soton.ac.uk/projects/index.html