DOI

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.
Язык оригиналаанглийский
Номер статьи174415
Число страниц8
ЖурналPhysical Review B-Condensed Matter
Том102
Номер выпуска17
DOI
СостояниеОпубликовано - 9 ноя 2020

    Предметные области Scopus

  • Электроника, оптика и магнитные материалы
  • Физика конденсатов

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