Temperature variation related movement of chirality domain walls in helimagnets

Abstract

We have observed that the intensity of the magnetic Bragg reflection decreases and the average chirality domain size increases when the sample is thermally cycled inside the helimagnetic phase for Tb and MnP. A model based on the temperature variation of the pitch of the helix allows us to explain the movement of the domain walls, and to show, by means of computer simulations, that it leads to an irreversible vanishment of some chirality domains.