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Properties and dynamics of meron topological spin textures in the two-dimensional magnet CrCl3

Author

Listed:
  • Mathias Augustin

    (Queen’s University)

  • Sarah Jenkins

    (The University of York)

  • Richard F. L. Evans

    (The University of York)

  • Kostya S. Novoselov

    (National University of Singapore
    Chongqing 2D Materials Institute)

  • Elton J. G. Santos

    (The University of Edinburgh
    The University of Edinburgh)

Abstract

Merons are nontrivial topological spin textures highly relevant for many phenomena in solid state physics. Despite their importance, direct observation of such vortex quasiparticles is scarce and has been limited to a few complex materials. Here, we show the emergence of merons and antimerons in recently discovered two-dimensional (2D) CrCl3 at zero magnetic field. We show their entire evolution from pair creation, their diffusion over metastable domain walls, and collision leading to large magnetic monodomains. Both quasiparticles are stabilized spontaneously during cooling at regions where in-plane magnetic frustration takes place. Their dynamics is determined by the interplay between the strong in-plane dipolar interactions and the weak out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy stabilising a vortex core within a radius of 8–10 nm. Our results push the boundary to what is currently known about non-trivial spin structures in 2D magnets and open exciting opportunities to control magnetic domains via topological quasiparticles.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathias Augustin & Sarah Jenkins & Richard F. L. Evans & Kostya S. Novoselov & Elton J. G. Santos, 2021. "Properties and dynamics of meron topological spin textures in the two-dimensional magnet CrCl3," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-20497-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20497-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaowei Lv & Hualiang Lv & Yalei Huang & Ruixuan Zhang & Guanhua Qin & Yihui Dong & Min Liu & Ke Pei & Guixin Cao & Jincang Zhang & Yuxiang Lai & Renchao Che, 2024. "Distinct skyrmion phases at room temperature in two-dimensional ferromagnet Fe3GaTe2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Maciej Da̧browski & Shi Guo & Mara Strungaru & Paul S. Keatley & Freddie Withers & Elton J. G. Santos & Robert J. Hicken, 2022. "All-optical control of spin in a 2D van der Waals magnet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Maya Khela & Maciej Da̧browski & Safe Khan & Paul S. Keatley & Ivan Verzhbitskiy & Goki Eda & Robert J. Hicken & Hidekazu Kurebayashi & Elton J. G. Santos, 2023. "Laser-induced topological spin switching in a 2D van der Waals magnet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Sihua Feng & Hengli Duan & Hao Tan & Fengchun Hu & Chaocheng Liu & Yao Wang & Zhi Li & Liang Cai & Yuyang Cao & Chao Wang & Zeming Qi & Li Song & Xuguang Liu & Zhihu Sun & Wensheng Yan, 2023. "Intrinsic room-temperature ferromagnetism in a two-dimensional semiconducting metal-organic framework," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Sarah Jenkins & Levente Rózsa & Unai Atxitia & Richard F. L. Evans & Kostya S. Novoselov & Elton J. G. Santos, 2022. "Breaking through the Mermin-Wagner limit in 2D van der Waals magnets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    6. Jaume Meseguer-Sánchez & Catalin Popescu & José Luis García-Muñoz & Hubertus Luetkens & Grigol Taniashvili & Efrén Navarro-Moratalla & Zurab Guguchia & Elton J. G. Santos, 2021. "Coexistence of structural and magnetic phases in van der Waals magnet CrI3," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-7, December.
    7. Jidan Yang & Yu Zou & Wentao Tang & Jinxing Li & Mingjun Huang & Satoshi Aya, 2022. "Spontaneous electric-polarization topology in confined ferroelectric nematics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.

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