Journal Article

FZJ-2020-03238

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Fractional antiferromagnetic skyrmion lattice induced by anisotropic couplings

Gao, S. ; Rosales, H. D. ; Gómez Albarracín, F. A. ; Tsurkan, V. ; Kaur, G. ; Fennell, T. ; Steffens, P. ; Boehm, M. ; Čermák, P. ; Schneidewind, A.FZJ* ; Ressouche, E. ; Cabra, D. C. ; Rüegg, C. ; Zaharko, O. (Corresponding author)

2020
Nature Publ. Group78092 London [u.a.]

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/25838  doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2716-8

Abstract: Magnetic skyrmions are topological solitons with a nanoscale winding spin texture that hold promise for spintronics applications1,2,3,4. Skyrmions have so far been observed in a variety of magnets that exhibit nearly parallel alignment for neighbouring spins, but theoretically skyrmions with anti-parallel neighbouring spins are also possible. Such antiferromagnetic skyrmions may allow more flexible control than conventional ferromagnetic skyrmions5,6,7,8,9,10. Here, by combining neutron scattering measurements and Monte Carlo simulations, we show that a fractional antiferromagnetic skyrmion lattice is stabilized in MnSc2S4 through anisotropic couplings. The observed lattice is composed of three antiferromagnetically coupled sublattices, and each sublattice is a triangular skyrmion lattice that is fractionalized into two parts with an incipient meron (half-skyrmion) character11,12. Our work demonstrates that the theoretically proposed antiferromagnetic skyrmions can be stabilized in real materials and represents an important step towards their implementation in spintronic devices.

Keyword(s): Information and Communication (1st) ; Magnetism (2nd) ; Condensed Matter Physics (2nd)

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. JCNS-FRM-II (JCNS-FRM-II)
2. Streumethoden (JCNS-2)
3. Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ)

Research Program(s):

1. 6212 - Quantum Condensed Matter: Magnetism, Superconductivity (POF3-621) (POF3-621)
2. 6G15 - FRM II / MLZ (POF3-6G15) (POF3-6G15)
3. 6G4 - Jülich Centre for Neutron Research (JCNS) (POF3-623) (POF3-623)

Experiment(s):

1. PANDA: Cold three axes spectrometer (SR2)

Appears in the scientific report 2020

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