Atomic scale visualization of topological spin textures in the chiral magnet MnGe

Abstract

Spin polarized scanning tunneling microscopy is used to directly image topological magnetic textures in thin films of MnGe, and to correlate the magnetism with structure probed at the atomic-scale. Our images indicate helical stripe domains, each characterized by a single wavevector Q, and their associated helimagnetic domain walls, in contrast to the 3Q magnetic state seen in the bulk. Combining our surface measurements with micromagnetic modeling, we deduce the three-dimensional orientation of the helical wavevectors and gain detailed understanding of the structure of individual domain walls and their intersections. We find that three helical domains meet in two distinct ways to produce either a "target-like" or a "pi-like" topological spin texture, and correlate these with local strain on the surface. We further show that the target-like texture can be reversibly manipulated through either current/voltage pulsing or applied magnetic field, a promising step toward future applications.

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• Microscopic evidence of spin-driven multiferroicity and topological spin textures in monolayer NiI2
• Altermagnetism, ARPES, symmetry, non-relativistic band splitting
• Giant anomalous Hall effect from spin-chirality scattering in a chiral magnet
• Observation of magnetic skyrmion lattice in Cr${}_{0.82}$Mn${}_{0.18}$Ge by small-angle neutron scattering
• Strain-driven domain wall network with chiral junctions in an antiferromagnet
• Correlated helimagnetic configuration in a nonsymmorphic magnetic nodal semimetal
• Enhanced Curie temperature and room-temperature 50-nm skyrmions achieved in hexagonal ferromagnet Mn5Ge3+x synthesized via a high-pressure method
• Structure and magnetism of MnGe thin films grown with a nonmagnetic CrSi template