Room temperature skyrmions in symmetric multilayers

We experimentally demonstrate the generation of skyrmions (166 ± 42 nm) by controlling and modulating the skyrmion stability parameter κ through changing the Co layer thickness in the multilayer with repetitions of the symmetric Pt/Co/Pt trilayer. The magnetic field dependence of skyrmion evolution is reversible. Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction constant D is quantitatively measured by Brillouin spectroscopy to understand the mechanism. Surprisingly, the D value is high enough to generate skyrmions in a symmetric sandwich structure although the value is smaller than that in an antisymmetric Pt/Co/Ta trilayer. The decreased D value with the increase in the Co layer thickness indicates that the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction is still contributed from the interfaces. This work broadens the flexibility to generate skyrmions by engineering skyrmion-based devices with nominally symmetric multilayer without the requirement of very large DMI.