Information transfer by vector spin chirality in finite magnetic chains

Vector spin chirality is one of the fundamental characteristics of complex magnets. For a one-dimensional spin-spiral state it can be interpreted as the handedness, or rotational sense of the spiral. Here, using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, we demonstrate the occurrence of an atomic-scale spin-spiral in finite individual bi-atomic Fe chains on the (5x1)-Ir(001) surface. We show that the broken inversion symmetry at the surface promotes one direction of the vector spin chirality, leading to a unique rotational sense of the spiral in all chains. Correspondingly, changes in the spin direction of one chain end can be probed tens of nanometers away, suggesting a new way of transmitting information about the state of magnetic objects on the nanoscale.Comment: accepted by Physical Review Letter

Pattern formation in skyrmionic materials with anisotropic environments

International audienceMagnetic Skyrmions have attracted broad attention during recent years because they are regarded as promising candidates as bits of information in novel data storage devices. A broad range of theoretical and experimental investigations have been conducted with the consideration of axisymmetric Skyrmions in isotropic environments. However, one naturally observes a huge variety of anisotropic behavior in many experimentally relevant materials. In the present work, we investigate the influence of anisotropic environments onto the formation and behavior of the noncollinear spin states of skyrmionic materials by means of Monte Carlo calculations. We find skyrmionic textures which are far from having an axisymmetric shape. Furthermore, we show the possibility to employ periodic modulations of the environment to create skyrmionic tracks

Large interlayer Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions across Ag-layers

Abstract Seeking to enhance the strength of the interlayer Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (IL-DMI) through a combination of atomic and Rashba type spin-orbit coupling (SOC) we studied the strength and the thickness evolution of effective interlayer coupling in Co/Ag/Co trilayers by means of surface sensitive magneto-optical measurements that take advantage of the light penetration depth. Here, we report the observation of oscillatory, thickness-dependent chiral interaction between ferromagnetic layers. Despite the weakness of the Ag atomic SOC, the IL-DMI in our trilayers is orders of magnitude larger than that of known systems using heavy metals as a spacer except of recently reported −0.15 mJ/m2 in Co/Pt/Ru(t)/Pt/Co and varies between ≈ ±0.2 mJ/m2. In contrast to known multilayers Co/Ag/Co promotes in-plane chirality between magnetic layers. The strength of IL-DMI opens up new routes for design of three-dimensional chiral spin structures combining intra- and interlayer DMI and paves the way for enhancements of the DMI strength