Skyrmion phase and competing magnetic orders on a breathing kagomé lattice

M Hirschberger, T Nakajima, S Gao, L Peng… - Nature …, 2019 - nature.com
Nature communications, 2019nature.com
Magnetic skyrmion textures are realized mainly in non-centrosymmetric, eg chiral or polar,
magnets. Extending the field to centrosymmetric bulk materials is a rewarding challenge,
where the released helicity/vorticity degree of freedom and higher skyrmion density result in
intriguing new properties and enhanced functionality. We report here on the experimental
observation of a skyrmion lattice (SkL) phase with large topological Hall effect and an
incommensurate helical pitch as small as 2.8 nm in metallic Gd3Ru4Al12, which …
Abstract
Magnetic skyrmion textures are realized mainly in non-centrosymmetric, e.g. chiral or polar, magnets. Extending the field to centrosymmetric bulk materials is a rewarding challenge, where the released helicity/vorticity degree of freedom and higher skyrmion density result in intriguing new properties and enhanced functionality. We report here on the experimental observation of a skyrmion lattice (SkL) phase with large topological Hall effect and an incommensurate helical pitch as small as 2.8 nm in metallic Gd3Ru4Al12, which materializes a breathing kagomé lattice of Gadolinium moments. The magnetic structure of several ordered phases, including the SkL, is determined by resonant x-ray diffraction as well as small angle neutron scattering. The SkL and helical phases are also observed directly using Lorentz-transmission electron microscopy. Among several competing phases, the SkL is promoted over a low-temperature transverse conical state by thermal fluctuations in an intermediate range of magnetic fields.
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