Topological energy barrier for skyrmion lattice formation in MnSi

A. W. D. Leishman, R. M. Menezes, G. Longbons, E. D. Bauer, M. Janoschek, D. Honecker, L. DeBeer-Schmitt, J. S. White, A. Sokolova, M. V. Milošević, and M. R. Eskildsen
Phys. Rev. B 102, 104416 – Published 14 September 2020
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  • INTRODUCTION
  • EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS
  • EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
  • THEORETICAL MODELING
  • CONCLUSION
  • ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
    • References

    Abstract

    We report the direct measurement of the topological skyrmion energy barrier through a hysteresis of the skyrmion lattice in the chiral magnet MnSi. Measurements were made using small-angle neutron scattering with a custom-built resistive coil to allow for high-precision minor hysteresis loops. The experimental data were analyzed using an adapted Preisach model to quantify the energy barrier for skyrmion formation and corroborated by the minimum-energy path analysis based on atomistic spin simulations. We reveal that the skyrmion lattice in MnSi forms from the conical phase progressively in small domains, each of which consisting of hundreds of skyrmions, and with an activation barrier of several eV.

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    • Received 14 May 2020
    • Revised 25 August 2020
    • Accepted 1 September 2020

    DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.102.104416

    ©2020 American Physical Society

    Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

    1. Research Areas
    SkyrmionsTopological phases of matter
    1. Physical Systems
    Chiral magnetsSingle crystal materials
    1. Techniques
    Landau-Lifschitz-Gilbert equationMicromagnetic modelingSmall angle neutron scattering
    Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

    Authors & Affiliations

    A. W. D. Leishman1, R. M. Menezes2,3, G. Longbons1, E. D. Bauer4, M. Janoschek4,5, D. Honecker6, L. DeBeer-Schmitt7, J. S. White8, A. Sokolova9, M. V. Milošević2,10, and M. R. Eskildsen1,*

    • 1Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
    • 2Department of Physics, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
    • 3Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Cidade Universitária, 50670-901 Recife-PE, Brazil
    • 4Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
    • 5Laboratory for Neutron and Muon Instrumentation, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland
    • 6Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, CS 20156, F-38042 Grenoble cedex 9, France
    • 7Large Scale Structures Group, Neutron Sciences Directorate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
    • 8Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland
    • 9Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, NSW 2234, Australia
    • 10NANOlab Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium

    • *eskildsen@nd.edu

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    Issue

    Vol. 102, Iss. 10 — 1 September 2020

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