Abstract
Axisymmetric solitonic states (chiral skyrmions) were first predicted theoretically more than two decades ago. However, until recently they have been observed in a form of skyrmionic condensates (hexagonal lattices and other mesophases). In this paper we report experimental and theoretical investigations of isolated chiral skyrmions discovered in PdFe/Ir(111) bilayers two years ago by Romming et al (2013 Science 341 636). The results of spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy analyzed within the continuum and discrete models provide a consistent description of isolated skyrmions in thin layers. The existence region of chiral skyrmions is restricted by strip-out instabilities at low fields and a collapse at high fields. We demonstrate that the same equations describe axisymmetric localized states in all condensed matter systems with broken mirror symmetry, and thus our findings establish basic properties of isolated skyrmions common for chiral liquid crystals, different classes of noncentrosymmetric magnets, ferroelectrics, and multiferroics.
Highlights
Long-period homochiral magnetization modulations [1] and axisymmetric solitonic patterns [2,3,4] are two types of unconventional magnetic states attributed solely to magnetic compounds with broken inversion symmetry and distinguish them from common magnetic materials
In the theoretical part of this paper we develop the first consistent theory of isolated chiral skyrmions in thin magnetic layers and apply our findings for the analysis of isolated skyrmions observed in PdFe/Ir(111) bilayers
These findings demonstrate their rich spectrum of magnetic states characteristic for chiral skyrmions and various scenarios of their evolution under the influence of applied fields [46, 49, 50]
Summary
A O Leonov, T L Monchesky, N Romming, A Kubetzka, A N Bogdanov and R Wiesendanger. Axisymmetric solitonic states (chiral skyrmions) were first predicted theoretically more than two. Until recently they have been observed in a form of skyrmionic condensates this work must maintain attribution to the (hexagonal lattices and other mesophases). In this paper we report experimental and theoretical author(s) and the title of investigations of isolated chiral skyrmions discovered in PdFe/Ir(111) bilayers two years ago by the work, journal citation and DOI. We demonstrate that the same equations describe axisymmetric localized states in all condensed matter systems with broken mirror symmetry, and our findings establish basic properties of isolated skyrmions common for chiral liquid crystals, different classes of noncentrosymmetric magnets, ferroelectrics, and multiferroics
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