Journal Article

FZJ-2022-02638

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Skyrmion–antiskyrmion pair creation and annihilation in a cubic chiral magnet

Zheng, F. (Corresponding author)FZJ* ; Kiselev, N. (Corresponding author)FZJ* ; Yang, L.FZJ* ; Kuchkin, V. M.FZJ* ; Rybakov, F. N. ; Blügel, S.FZJ* ; Dunin-Borkowski, R. E.FZJ*

2022
Nature Publishing Group Basingstoke

This record in other databases:    

Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/31716  doi:10.1038/s41567-022-01638-4

Abstract: A fundamental property of particles and antiparticles (such as electrons and positrons, respectively) is their ability to annihilate one another. A similar behaviour is predicted for magnetic solitons1—localized spin textures that can be distinguished by their topological index Q. Theoretically, magnetic topological solitons with opposite values of Q, such as skyrmions2 and their antiparticles (namely, antiskyrmions), are expected to be able to continuously merge and annihilate3. However, experimental verification of such particle–antiparticle pair production and annihilation processes has been lacking. Here we report the creation and annihilation of skyrmion–antiskyrmion pairs in an exceptionally thin film of the cubic chiral magnet of B20-type FeGe observed using transmission electron microscopy. Our observations are highly reproducible and are fully consistent with micromagnetic simulations. Our findings provide a new platform for the fundamental studies of particles and antiparticles based on magnetic solids and open new perspectives for practical applications of thin films of isotropic chiral magnets.

---

Contributing Institute(s):

1. Quanten-Theorie der Materialien (IAS-1)
2. Quanten-Theorie der Materialien (PGI-1)
3. JARA-FIT (JARA-FIT)
4. JARA - HPC (JARA-HPC)
5. Physik Nanoskaliger Systeme (ER-C-1)

Research Program(s):

1. 5211 - Topological Matter (POF4-521) (POF4-521)
2. 5351 - Platform for Correlative, In Situ and Operando Characterization (POF4-535) (POF4-535)
3. 3D MAGiC - Three-dimensional magnetization textures: Discovery and control on the nanoscale (856538) (856538)
4. ESTEEM3 - Enabling Science and Technology through European Electron Microscopy (823717) (823717)
5. Q-SORT - QUANTUM SORTER (766970) (766970)
6. DFG project 405553726 - TRR 270: Hysterese-Design magnetischer Materialien für effiziente Energieumwandlung (405553726) (405553726)

Appears in the scientific report 2022

---

Database coverage:
; ; ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 15 ; JCR ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

---