Stability of in-plane and out-of-plane chiral skyrmions in epitaxial MnSi(111)/Si(111) thin films: Surface twists versus easy-plane anisotropy

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Stability of in-plane and out-of-plane chiral skyrmions in epitaxial MnSi(111)/Si(111) thin films: Surface twists versus easy-plane anisotropy. / Leonov, Andrey O. ; Tambovtcev, Ivan M. ; Lobanov, Igor S. ; Uzdin, Valery M. .

In: Physical Review B-Condensed Matter, Vol. 102, No. 17, 174415 , 09.11.2020.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

BibTeX

@article{929c766cb8ae46188bfc0522747cc713,

title = "Stability of in-plane and out-of-plane chiral skyrmions in epitaxial MnSi(111)/Si(111) thin films: Surface twists versus easy-plane anisotropy",

abstract = "The revisited theoretical phase diagrams for thin films of cubic helimagnets with the easy-plane anisotropy are shown to have different topology as previously reported [E. A. Karhu et al., Phys. Rev. B 85, 094429 (2012)]. For both in-plane and out-of-plane directions of an applied magnetic field, the phase diagrams exhibit extensive areas of stable skyrmions, which overlap for a wide range of anisotropy parameters. Although the existence of the out-of-plane skyrmions was contradicted within the previous theoretical models, we prove that additional surface twists lead to their stability, while the moderate easy-plane anisotropy increases the stability range of in-plane skyrmions. Moreover, the interplay between the anisotropy and the surface twists gives rise to a stable spiral state canted with respect to the surfaces. Being absent in bulk helimagnets, this oblique spiral occupies vast areas at the phase diagrams in thin-film nanosystems and serves as a connecting-link between cones and helicoids. Our theory gives clear directions for renewed experimental studies of in-plane and out-of-plane skyrmions in epitaxial MnSi(111)/Si(111) thin films.",

author = "Leonov, {Andrey O.} and Tambovtcev, {Ivan M.} and Lobanov, {Igor S.} and Uzdin, {Valery M.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 American Physical Society.",

year = "2020",

month = nov,

day = "9",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevB.102.174415",

language = "English",

volume = "102",

journal = "Physical Review B-Condensed Matter",

issn = "1098-0121",

publisher = "American Physical Society",

number = "17",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Stability of in-plane and out-of-plane chiral skyrmions in epitaxial MnSi(111)/Si(111) thin films: Surface twists versus easy-plane anisotropy

AU - Leonov, Andrey O.

AU - Tambovtcev, Ivan M.

AU - Lobanov, Igor S.

AU - Uzdin, Valery M.

PY - 2020/11/9

Y1 - 2020/11/9

N2 - The revisited theoretical phase diagrams for thin films of cubic helimagnets with the easy-plane anisotropy are shown to have different topology as previously reported [E. A. Karhu et al., Phys. Rev. B 85, 094429 (2012)]. For both in-plane and out-of-plane directions of an applied magnetic field, the phase diagrams exhibit extensive areas of stable skyrmions, which overlap for a wide range of anisotropy parameters. Although the existence of the out-of-plane skyrmions was contradicted within the previous theoretical models, we prove that additional surface twists lead to their stability, while the moderate easy-plane anisotropy increases the stability range of in-plane skyrmions. Moreover, the interplay between the anisotropy and the surface twists gives rise to a stable spiral state canted with respect to the surfaces. Being absent in bulk helimagnets, this oblique spiral occupies vast areas at the phase diagrams in thin-film nanosystems and serves as a connecting-link between cones and helicoids. Our theory gives clear directions for renewed experimental studies of in-plane and out-of-plane skyrmions in epitaxial MnSi(111)/Si(111) thin films.

AB - The revisited theoretical phase diagrams for thin films of cubic helimagnets with the easy-plane anisotropy are shown to have different topology as previously reported [E. A. Karhu et al., Phys. Rev. B 85, 094429 (2012)]. For both in-plane and out-of-plane directions of an applied magnetic field, the phase diagrams exhibit extensive areas of stable skyrmions, which overlap for a wide range of anisotropy parameters. Although the existence of the out-of-plane skyrmions was contradicted within the previous theoretical models, we prove that additional surface twists lead to their stability, while the moderate easy-plane anisotropy increases the stability range of in-plane skyrmions. Moreover, the interplay between the anisotropy and the surface twists gives rise to a stable spiral state canted with respect to the surfaces. Being absent in bulk helimagnets, this oblique spiral occupies vast areas at the phase diagrams in thin-film nanosystems and serves as a connecting-link between cones and helicoids. Our theory gives clear directions for renewed experimental studies of in-plane and out-of-plane skyrmions in epitaxial MnSi(111)/Si(111) thin films.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096117308&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/edc0c6ff-8512-3507-89e7-872330c42a75/

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevB.102.174415

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevB.102.174415

M3 - Article

VL - 102

JO - Physical Review B-Condensed Matter

JF - Physical Review B-Condensed Matter

SN - 1098-0121

IS - 17

M1 - 174415

ER -

ID: 70767613