Topological Hall effect and Berry phase in magnetic nanostructures

Abstract

We discuss the anomalous Hall effect in a two-dimensional electron gas subject to a spatially varying magnetization. This topological Hall effect (THE) does not require any spin-orbit coupling, and arises solely from Berry phase acquired by an electron moving in a smoothly varying magnetization. We propose an experiment with a structure containing 2D electrons or holes of diluted magnetic semiconductor subject to the stray field of a lattice of magnetic nanocylinders. The striking behavior predicted for such a system (of which all relevant parameters are well known) allows to observe unambiguously the THE and to distinguish it from other mechanisms.

5 pages with 4 figures