2020/07/16 by Andrey O. Leonov, Ivan M. Tambovtcev, I. S. Lobanov +3 · 13 citations
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Anisotropy #Condensed matter physics #Epitaxy #Geometry #Magnetic properties of thin films #Materials science #Mathematics #Nanotechnology #Optics #Physics #Plane (geometry) #Semiconductor materials and interfaces #Skyrmion #Surface (topology) #Surface and Thin Film Phenomena #cond-mat.mes-hall
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevb.102.174415
published in Physical review. B./Physical review. B 102(17) (American Physical Society)
arxiv created 2020/07/16 · openalex created_date 2020/07/23 · openalex publication_date 2020/11/09 · arxiv updated 2020/11/12 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The revisited theoretical phase diagrams for thin films of cubic helimagnets with the easy-plane anisotropy are shown to have different topology as previously reported [E. A. Karhu et al., Phys. Rev. B 85, 094429 (2012)]. For both in-plane and out-of-plane directions of an applied magnetic field, the phase diagrams exhibit extensive areas of stable skyrmions, which overlap for a wide range of anisotropy parameters. Although the existence of the out-of-plane skyrmions was contradicted within the previous theoretical models, we prove that additional surface twists lead to their stability, while the moderate easy-plane anisotropy increases the stability range of in-plane skyrmions. Moreover, the interplay between the anisotropy and the surface twists gives rise to a stable spiral state canted with respect to the surfaces. Being absent in bulk helimagnets, this oblique spiral occupies vast areas at the phase diagrams in thin-film nanosystems and serves as a connecting-link between cones and helicoids. Our theory gives clear directions for renewed experimental studies of in-plane and out-of-plane skyrmions in epitaxial MnSi(111)/Si(111) thin films.