Resonant x-ray scattering from a skyrmion lattice

ORAL

Abstract

Topologically protected novel phases in condensed matter systems are a current research topic of tremendous interest due to both the unique physics and their potential in device applications. Skyrmions are a topological phase that in magnetic systems manifest as a hexagonal lattice of spin-swirls. We report the first observation of the skyrmion lattice using resonant soft x-ray diffraction in Cu$_2$OSeO$_3$, a cubic insulator that exhibits degenerate helical magnetic structures along <100> axes in zero magnetic field. Within a narrow window of temperature and applied magnetic field we observed the six fold symmetric satellite peaks due to the skyrmion lattice around the (001) lattice Bragg peak. As a function of incident photon energy a rotational splitting of the skyrmion satellite peaks was observed that we ascribe to the two Cu sublattices of Cu$_2$OSeO$_3$, with different magnetically active orbitals. The splitting implies a long wavelength modulation of the skyrmion lattice.

*Work supported by U.S. DOE.

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Authors

  • Sujoy Roy

    • Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, CA 94720-8229, USA
    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA
    • Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab

  • M.C. Langner

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA

  • S.K. Mishra

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA

  • J.C.T. Lee

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA

  • X.W. Shi

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA

  • M.A. Hossain

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA

  • Y.-D. Chuang

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA

  • S.D. Kevan

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA

  • R.W. Schoenlein

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA

  • S. Seki

    • RIKEN, Center for Emergent Matter Science, Wako, Japan

  • Y. Tokura

    • University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan