Current-induced rotational torques in the skyrmion lattice phase of chiral magnets

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVB.84.064401· OSTI ID:21596843

Everschor, Karin; Garst, Markus; Rosch, Achim ^[1]; Duine, R A ^[2]

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1. Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Cologne, D-50937 Cologne (Germany)
2. Institute for Theoretical Physics, Utrecht University, NL-3584 CE Utrecht (Netherlands)

In chiral magnets without inversion symmetry, the magnetic structure can form a lattice of magnetic whirl lines, a two-dimensional skyrmion lattice, stabilized by spin-orbit interactions in a small range of temperatures and magnetic fields. The twist of the magnetization within this phase gives rise to an efficient coupling of macroscopic magnetic domains to spin currents. We analyze the resulting spin-transfer effects, and, in particular, focus on the current-induced rotation of the magnetic texture by an angle. Such a rotation can arise from macroscopic temperature gradients in the system as has recently been shown experimentally and theoretically. Here we investigate an alternative mechanism, where small distortions of the skyrmion lattice and the transfer of angular momentum to the underlying atomic lattice play the key role. We employ the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation and adapt the Thiele method to derive an effective equation of motion for the rotational degree of freedom. We discuss the dependence of the rotation angle on the orientation of the applied magnetic field and the distance to the phase transition.

• OSTI ID: 21596843
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol. 84, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.84.064401; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1098-0121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CHIRALITY
DEGREES OF FREEDOM
EQUATIONS OF MOTION
L-S COUPLING
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIZATION
MAGNETS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SIMULATION
SPIN
SYMMETRY
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
TORQUE
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
COUPLING
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS
EQUIPMENT
INTERMEDIATE COUPLING
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PARTICLE PROPERTIES