Magnetic bubbles behave differently than other magnetic defects (w/ video)
Monday, December 10, 2012 - 09:00
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org)—Magnetism may be one of the most fundamental concepts in physics, but under the surface, magnetism holds complex secrets that scientists are still trying to unravel. One of these areas involves the dynamics of magnetic topological defects in thin films of ferromagnetic materials. In a new study, physicists have demonstrated that magnetic topological defects called skyrmions, which resemble swirling eddies or bubbles, behave differently than do other magnetic defects. The scientists show that skyrmions' unusual behavior arises from the strange occurrence of waves on the bubbles' edges that travel with different speeds in opposite directions.