arXiv · 2205.15787
Anisotropy driven response of skyrmion lattice in MnSc$_2$S$_4$ to applied magnetic fields
Abstract
We theoretically and experimentally study the stability of the unconventional fractional antiferromagnetic skyrmion lattice (AF-SkL) in Mn$_2$S$_4$ spinel under magnetic fields applied along the $[$1-10$]$ crystal direction. By performing numerical Monte Carlo simulations for the minimal effective spin model that we proposed in Ref. [S. Gao, et al., Nature 586, 37-41 (2020)], we show that the skyrmion lattice is aligned within the equivalent and symmetric $[$1-11$]$ or $[$1-11$]$ planes, which are equally inclined to the applied magnetic field. We attribute this behavior to the magnetic anisotropy of the host material. Neutron single crystal diffraction presents a very good agreement with the predictions of the effective model. It reveals that the topological spin texture gets destabilized at low temperatures and moderate magnetic fields and is replaced by a conical phase for B// $[$1-10$]$. The present study elucidates the central role of the magnetic anisotropy in the stabilization of antiferromagnetic skyrmionic states.
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H. D. Rosales, F. A. Gómez Albarracín, K. Guratinder, V. Tsurkan, L. Prodan, E. Ressouche, O. Zaharko. 2022-05-31. Anisotropy driven response of skyrmion lattice in MnSc$_2$S$_4$ to applied magnetic fields. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.105.224402
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