Artificial Double-Helix for Geometrical Control of Magnetic Chirality
[1];
[2];
[3];
[7];
[6];
[9]
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom, Unité Mixte de Physique, CNRS, Thales, Université Paris-Saclay, 91767 Palaiseau, France
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K., Departamento de Física, Universidad de Oviedo, 33007 Oviedo, Spain, CINN (CSIC-Universidad de Oviedo), 33940 El Entrego, Spain
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
- Laboratorio de Microscopías Avanzadas (LMA), Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
- ALBA Synchrotron, 08290 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Laboratorio de Microscopías Avanzadas (LMA), Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón (ICMA), Universidad de Zaragoza-CSIC, Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States, Physics Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom, SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.
Chirality plays a major role in nature, from particle physics to DNA, and its control is much sought-after due to the scientific and technological opportunities it unlocks. For magnetic materials, chiral interactions between spins promote the formation of sophisticated swirling magnetic states such as skyrmions, with rich topological properties and great potential for future technologies. Currently, chiral magnetism requires either a restricted group of natural materials or synthetic thin-film systems that exploit interfacial effects. Here, using state-of-the-art nanofabrication and magnetic X-ray microscopy, we demonstrate the imprinting of complex chiral spin states via three-dimensional geometric effects at the nanoscale. By balancing dipolar and exchange interactions in an artificial ferromagnetic double-helix nanostructure, we create magnetic domains and domain walls with a well-defined spin chirality, determined solely by the chiral geometry. We further demonstrate the ability to create confined 3D spin textures and topological defects by locally interfacing geometries of opposite chirality. The ability to create chiral spin textures via 3D nanopatterning alone enables exquisite control over the properties and location of complex topological magnetic states, of great importance for the development of future metamaterials and devices in which chirality provides enhanced functionality.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); European Research Council (ERC); Spanish Ministry of Science
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231; EP/ M008517/1; EP/M024423/1; H2020-MSCA-IF-2016-74695; MAT2017-82970-C2-1-R; MAT2017-82970-C2-2-R; MAT2018-102627-T; BES-2015-072950
- OSTI ID:
- 1637712
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1756346
- Journal Information:
- ACS Nano, Journal Name: ACS Nano Vol. 14 Journal Issue: 7; ISSN 1936-0851
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
Similar Records
Superconducting density of states and band structure at the surface of the candidate topological superconductor
Observation of topologically protected states at crystalline phase boundaries in single-layer WSe2