Experimental verification of the rotational type of chiral spin spiral structures by spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy

Masahiro Haze,Yasuo Yoshida,Yukio Hasegawa

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-13329-9

Abstract

We report on experimental verification of the rotational type of chiral spin spirals in Mn thin films on a W(110) substrate using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SP-STM) with a double-axis superconducting vector magnet. From SP-STM images using Fe-coated W tips magnetized to the out-of-plane and [001] directions, we found that both Mn mono- and double-layers exhibit cycloidal rotation whose spins rotate in the planes normal to the propagating directions. Our results agree with the theoretical prediction based on the symmetry of the system, supporting that the magnetic structures are driven by the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction.

Highlights

In magnetic systems, competition between exchange interactions and magnetic anisotropy determines the ground state
We conducted an Spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SP-STM) measurement on Mn ML and double layer (DL) formed on W(110) with a double-axis vector magnet, and clarified the unique rotational senses of homogeneous spin-spirals[18], indicating that the magnetic structures are driven by interfacial DMI (iDMI)
This result agrees well with the previous theoretical predictions from symmetry of the systems[16,19], which supports that the magnetic structures are driven by iDMI

Summary

Introduction

Competition between exchange interactions and magnetic anisotropy determines the ground state. We conducted an SP-STM measurement on Mn ML and DL formed on W(110) with a double-axis vector magnet, and clarified the unique rotational senses of homogeneous spin-spirals[18], indicating that the magnetic structures are driven by iDMI. We further investigate Mn ML and DL /W(110) with SP-STM with a double-axis vector magnet, and provide experimental proofs that both layers exhibit cycloidal spin spiral rotations. This result agrees well with the previous theoretical predictions from symmetry of the systems[16,19], which supports that the magnetic structures are driven by iDMI

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion