Nonlinear optical imaging of domains and domains of a chiral polar magnetic system

3d transition metal tellurides are a family of candidates for multiferroics – a state of matter that host coexisting and coupled (anti)ferroic orders. One member of interest is Ni₃TeO₆, a chiral polar dielectric compound at room temperature and a collinear antiferromagnet below T_N = 58K. So far, the formation of chiral, polar, and magnetic domains has not been comprehensively studied. In this presentation, we will report our recent studies on Ni₃TeO₆ using scanning second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy and rotation anisotropy (RA) SHG. We will show the chiral, polar domains at room temperature and investigate the symmetry relationship between different domain states. Furthermore, we will show the domain boundaries between distinct domains and analyze the symmetry properties at these domain boundaries. Finally, we will discuss our nonlinear optical study below T_N to investigate how the magnetic domains build on top of the chiral, polar domains.