Electrical probe of spin-spiral order in quantum spin Hall/spin-spiral magnet van der Waals heterostructures

Abstract

Two-dimensional spin-spiral magnets provide promising building blocks for van der Waals heterostructures due to their tunable spin textures and potential for novel functionalities for quantum devices. However, due to its vanishing magnetization and two-dimensional nature, it is challenging to detect the existence of its noncollinear magnetization. Here, we show that a van der Waals junction based on a spin-spiral magnet and a quantum spin Hall insulator enables obtaining signatures of noncollinear magnetization directly from electrical measurements. Our strategy exploits the sensitivity of helical states to local breaking of time-reversal symmetry, potentially enabling the detection of local magnetic orders even in the absence of net magnetization. We show that the combination of spin-spiral order and nonmagnetic disorder gives rise to scattering in the helical channels that can be directly associated with the spiral exchange coupling and residual nonmagnetic disorder strength. Our results show how electrical transport measurement may offer a way to detect spin-spiral magnets by leveraging helical states in van der Waals heterostructures.

8 pages, 6 figures

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