The Magnetic and Structural Properties of Layered Materials

Magnetic skyrmions, swirling two-dimensional spin textures, are potential candidates for magnetic data storge applications such as racetrack memories, information carriers in spin-logic devices and artificial neurons or synapses in neuromorphic applications. In this thesis various layered materials are investigated for their potential to stabilize magnetic skyrmions by means of magnetic frustration. Theoretical physicists predict that skyrmions by means of magnetic frustration possess even better properties for potential applications than currently known skyrmions. Skyrmions stabilized by way of magnetic frustration are not deflected to one side when moving through a material and can be an order of magnitude smaller. In this thesis structural and magnetic research methods such as single crystal x-ray diffraction and SQUID magnetometry are used to search for magnetic signatures of these type of magnetic skyrmions in various layered materials.