Skyrmion-Like Spin Textures Emerging in the Material Derived from Structural Frustration

ChemRxiv

Abstract

Magnetic materials with complex spin textures present both fundamental and practical appeal. The complex patterns of magnetic moments emerging on underlying crystal lattices hold potential for robust information storage and processing, including the promise of topological quantum computing. The scope of materials that host such patterns, however, remains rather limited. Herein, we report a discovery of a complex spin texture in a non-centrosymmetric material that emerges from the structural frustration at the boundary between centrosym-metric parent structures. Our findings demonstrate that such structural frustration provides a powerful handle for identifying composition-al spaces where complex magnetic behavior and associated non-trivial magnetic structures are likely to emerge. Thus, the new phase MnCoGe 1/3 As 2/3 exhibits a modulated cycloidal antiferromagnetic arrangement of electron spins on a non-centrosymmetric lattice that materializes in the space between centrosymmetric collinear ferromagnets. This work provides a pathway for discovering novel materials with exotic spin textures for next-generation spintronic and quantum technologies.

Authors 10

1. Yixu Wang Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University

2. Ian Campbell

   Florida State University

   Affiliation as printed

   Florida State University

3. Zachary P. Tener

   Florida State University

   Affiliation as printed

   Florida State University

4. Judith K. Clark

   Florida State University

   Affiliation as printed

   Florida State University

5. Jacnel Graterol

   Florida State University

   Affiliation as printed

   Florida State University

6. Hu Zhang

   University of Science and Technology Beijing

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Science and Technology Beijing

7. Yi Long

   University of Science and Technology Beijing

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Science and Technology Beijing

8. Richard Dronskowski Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University

9. Xiaoping P. Wang

   Oak Ridge National Laboratory

   Affiliation as printed

   Oak Ridge National Laboratory

10. Michael Shatruk

    Florida State University

    Affiliation as printed

    Florida State University