Reorientations, relaxations, metastabilities, and multidomains of skyrmion lattices

Journal article (2017)

Authors

L.J. Bannenberg RST/Neutron and Positron Methods in Materials - AS
F. Qian RST/Neutron and Positron Methods in Materials - AS
Robert M. Dalgliesh Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
N Martin Laboratoire Leon Brillouin, CEA-Saclay
G. Chaboussant Laboratoire Leon Brillouin, CEA-Saclay
M Schmidt Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids
D. L. Schlagel Iowa State University
T. A. Lograsso Iowa State University
H. Wilhelm Diamond Light Source Ltd.
C. Pappas RST/Neutron and Positron Methods in Materials - AS
Research Group
RST/Neutron and Positron Methods in Materials (AS) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2017 L.J. Bannenberg, F. Qian, R. M. Dalgliesh, N Martin, G. Chaboussant, M Schmidt, D. L. Schlagel, T. A. Lograsso, H Wilhelm, C. Pappas
DOI
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https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.96.184416
More Info
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Published Date

13-11-2017

Language

English

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Faculty

Applied Sciences

Department

RST/Radiation, Science and Technology

Research Group

RST/Neutron and Positron Methods in Materials

Abstract

Magnetic skyrmions are nanosized topologically protected spin textures with particlelike properties. They can form lattices perpendicular to the magnetic field, and the orientation of these skyrmion lattices with respect to the crystallographic lattice is governed by spin-orbit coupling. By performing small-angle neutron scattering measurements, we investigate the coupling between the crystallographic and skyrmion lattices in both Cu2OSeO3 and the archetype chiral magnet MnSi. The results reveal that the orientation of the skyrmion lattice is primarily determined by the magnetic field direction with respect to the crystallographic lattice. In addition, it is also influenced by the magnetic history of the sample, which can induce metastable lattices. Kinetic measurements show that these metastable skyrmion lattices may or may not relax to their equilibrium positions under macroscopic relaxation times. Furthermore, multidomain lattices may form when two or more equivalent crystallographic directions are favored by spin-orbit coupling and oriented perpendicular to the magnetic field.