arXiv · 1603.05879
Symmetry breaking in spin spirals and skyrmions by in-plane and canted magnetic fields
Abstract
The influence of in-plane and canted magnetic fields on spin spirals and skyrmions in atomic bilayer islands of palladium and iron on an Ir(111) substrate is investigated by scanning tunnelling microscopy at low temperatures. It is shown that the spin spiral propagation direction is determined by the island's border which can be explained by equilibrium state calculations on a triangular lattice. By application of in-plane fields, the spin spiral reorientates its propagation direction and becomes distorted, thereby allowing a proof for its cycloidal nature. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the skyrmions' shape is distorted in canted fields which allows to determine the sense of magnetisation rotation as enforced by the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Lorenz Schmidt, Julian Hagemeister, Pin-Jui Hsu, André Kubetzka, Kirsten von Bergmann, Roland Wiesendanger. 2016-03-18. Symmetry breaking in spin spirals and skyrmions by in-plane and canted magnetic fields. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630%2F18%2F7%2F075007
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.