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Transformation between meron and skyrmion topological spin textures in a chiral magnet

Author

Listed:
  • X. Z. Yu

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS))

  • W. Koshibae

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS))

  • Y. Tokunaga

    (University of Tokyo)

  • K. Shibata

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS))

  • Y. Taguchi

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS))

  • N. Nagaosa

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)
    University of Tokyo)

  • Y. Tokura

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)
    University of Tokyo)

Abstract

Crystal lattices with tetragonal or hexagonal structure often exhibit structural transitions in response to external stimuli1. Similar behaviour is anticipated for the lattice forms of topological spin textures, such as lattices composed of merons and antimerons or skyrmions and antiskyrmions (types of vortex related to the distribution of electron spins in a magnetic field), but has yet to be verified experimentally2,3. Here we report real-space observations of spin textures in a thin plate of the chiral-lattice magnet Co8Zn9Mn3, which exhibits in-plane magnetic anisotropy. The observations demonstrate the emergence of a two-dimensional square lattice of merons and antimerons from a helical state, and its transformation into a hexagonal lattice of skyrmions in the presence of a magnetic field at room temperature. Sequential observations with decreasing temperature reveal that the topologically protected skyrmions remain robust to changes in temperature, whereas the square lattice of merons and antimerons relaxes to non-topological in-plane spin helices, highlighting the different topological stabilities of merons, antimerons and skyrmions. Our results demonstrate the rich variety of topological spin textures and their lattice forms, and should stimulate further investigation of emergent electromagnetic properties.

Suggested Citation

  • X. Z. Yu & W. Koshibae & Y. Tokunaga & K. Shibata & Y. Taguchi & N. Nagaosa & Y. Tokura, 2018. "Transformation between meron and skyrmion topological spin textures in a chiral magnet," Nature, Nature, vol. 564(7734), pages 95-98, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:564:y:2018:i:7734:d:10.1038_s41586-018-0745-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0745-3
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Longju Yu & Hong Jian Zhao & Peng Chen & Laurent Bellaiche & Yanming Ma, 2023. "The anti-symmetric and anisotropic symmetric exchange interactions between electric dipoles in hafnia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Sheng Yang & Yuelei Zhao & Kai Wu & Zhiqin Chu & Xiaohong Xu & Xiaoguang Li & Johan Åkerman & Yan Zhou, 2023. "Reversible conversion between skyrmions and skyrmioniums," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Mona Bhukta & Takaaki Dohi & Venkata Krishna Bharadwaj & Ricardo Zarzuela & Maria-Andromachi Syskaki & Michael Foerster & Miguel Angel Niño & Jairo Sinova & Robert Frömter & Mathias Kläui, 2024. "Homochiral antiferromagnetic merons, antimerons and bimerons realized in synthetic antiferromagnets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Yu-Jia Wang & Yan-Peng Feng & Yun-Long Tang & Yin-Lian Zhu & Yi Cao & Min-Jie Zou & Wan-Rong Geng & Xiu-Liang Ma, 2024. "Polar Bloch points in strained ferroelectric films," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    5. Weiwei Wang & Dongsheng Song & Wensen Wei & Pengfei Nan & Shilei Zhang & Binghui Ge & Mingliang Tian & Jiadong Zang & Haifeng Du, 2022. "Electrical manipulation of skyrmions in a chiral magnet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    6. Mengfan Guo & Erxiang Xu & Houbing Huang & Changqing Guo & Hetian Chen & Shulin Chen & Shan He & Le Zhou & Jing Ma & Zhonghui Shen & Ben Xu & Di Yi & Peng Gao & Ce-Wen Nan & Neil. D. Mathur & Yang She, 2024. "Electrically and mechanically driven rotation of polar spirals in a relaxor ferroelectric polymer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Jagannath Jena & Börge Göbel & Tomoki Hirosawa & Sebastián A. Díaz & Daniel Wolf & Taichi Hinokihara & Vivek Kumar & Ingrid Mertig & Claudia Felser & Axel Lubk & Daniel Loss & Stuart S. P. Parkin, 2022. "Observation of fractional spin textures in a Heusler material," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    8. 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.
    9. Yu-Tsun Shao & Sujit Das & Zijian Hong & Ruijuan Xu & Swathi Chandrika & Fernando Gómez-Ortiz & Pablo García-Fernández & Long-Qing Chen & Harold Y. Hwang & Javier Junquera & Lane W. Martin & Ramamoort, 2023. "Emergent chirality in a polar meron to skyrmion phase transition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.

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