Enhanced Stability of the Magnetic Skyrmion Lattice Phase under a Tilted Magnetic Field in a Two-Dimensional Chiral Magnet.

Wang, Chao; Du, Haifeng; Zhao, Xuebing; Jin, Chiming; Tian, Mingliang; Zhang, Yuheng; Che, Renchao · Nano Lett · 2017

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The magnetic skyrmion is a topologically stable vortex-like spin texture that offers great promise as information carriers for future spintronic devices. In a two-dimensional chiral magnet, it was generally considered that a tilted magnetic field is harmful to its formation and stability. Here we investigated the angular-dependent stability of magnetic skyrmions in FeGe nanosheets by using high-resolution Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (Lorentz TEM). Besides the theoretically predicted destruction of skyrmion lattice state by an oblique magnetic field as the temperature closes to its magnetic Curie temperature T<sub>c</sub> ∼ 278 K, we also observed an unexpected reentry-like phenomenon at the moderate temperatures near the border between conical and skyrmion phase, T<sub>t</sub> ∼ 240 K. This behavior is completely beyond the theoretical prediction in a conventional two-dimensional (2D) system. Instead, a three-dimensional (3D) model involving the competition between conical phase and skyrmions is likely to play a crucial role.