Square skyrmion crystal in centrosymmetric itinerant magnets

Abstract

We theoretically investigate the origin of the square-type skyrmion crystal in centrosymmetric itinerant magnets, motivated from the recent experimental finding in GdRu$_2$Si$_2$ [N. D. Khanh $\mathit{et}$ $\mathit{al.}$, Nat. Nanotech. $\mathbf{15}$, 444 (2020)]. By simulated annealing for an effective spin model derived from the Kondo lattice model on a square lattice, we find that a square skyrmion crystal composed of a superposition of two spin helices is stabilized in a magnetic field by synergy between the positive biquadratic, bond-dependent anisotropic, and easy-axis anisotropic interactions. This is in stark contrast to triangular skyrmion crystals which are stabilized by only one of the three, suggesting that the square skyrmion crystal is characteristic of itinerant magnets with magnetic anisotropy. We also show that a variety of noncollinear and noncoplanar spin textures appear depending on the model parameters as well as the applied magnetic field. The present systematic study will be useful not only for identifying the key ingredients in GdRu$_2$Si$_2$ but also for exploring further skyrmion-hosting materials in centrosymmetric itinerant magnets.