Magnetic Skyrmions above Room Temperature in a van der Waals Ferromagnet Fe₃GaTe₂

Abstract

2D van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnetic crystals are a promising platform for innovative spintronic devices based on magnetic skyrmions, thanks to their high flexibility and atomic thickness stability. However, room-temperature skyrmion-hosting vdW materials are scarce, which poses a challenge for practical applications. In this study, a chemical vapor transport (CVT) approach is employed to synthesize Fe₃GaTe₂ crystals and room-temperature Néel skyrmions are observed in Fe₃GaTe₂ nanoflakes above 58 nm in thickness through in situ Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (L-TEM). Upon an optimized field cooling procedure, zero-field hexagonal skyrmion lattices are successfully generated in nanoflakes with an extended thickness range (30-180 nm). Significantly, these skyrmion lattices remain stable up to 355 K, setting a new record for the highest temperature at which skyrmions can be hosted. The research establishes Fe₃GaTe₂ as an emerging above-room-temperature skyrmion-hosting vdW material, holding great promise for future spintronics.