Formation process of skyrmion lattice domain boundaries: The role of grain boundaries

Abstract

We report on the formation process of skyrmion lattice (SkL) domain boundaries in FeGe using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy and small-angle electron diffraction. We observed that grain boundaries and edges play an important role in the formation of SkL domain boundaries; The SkL domain boundary is stabilized at the intersection of two grains. A micromagnetic simulation using the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation revealed that the SkL domains separated by a boundary represent the lowest energy configuration. Conversely, in a wide area, SkL domain boundaries were not formed and SkL domains with different orientations rotated to form a single SkL domain.

13 pages, 3 figures

References in corpus (2)

• Bubble Raft Model for a Paraboloidal Crystal
• Foucault imaging and small-angle electron diffraction in controlled external magnetic fields

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