Electronic route to stabilize nanoscale spin textures in itinerant frustrated magnets

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Sahinur Reja - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Jeroen Van Den Brink - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Sanjeev Kumar - , Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali (Author)

Abstract

We unveil novel spin textures in an itinerant fermion model on a frustrated triangular lattice in the limit of low electronic density. Using hybrid Monte Carlo simulations on finite clusters we identify two types of nanoscale spin textures in the background of 120 order: (i) a planar ferromagnetic cluster, and (ii) and a noncoplanar cluster with spins oriented perpendicular to the 120 plane. Both these textures lead to localization of the electronic wave functions and are in turn stabilized by the concomitant charge modulations. The noncoplanar spin texture is accompanied by an unusual scalar chirality pattern. A well defined electric charge and magnetic moment associated with these textures allow for their easy manipulation by external electric and magnetic fields - a desirable feature for data storage. We identify a localization-delocalization behavior for electronic wave functions which is unique to frustrated magnets and propose a general framework for stabilizing similar spin textures in spin-charge coupled systems.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number155115
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume93
Issue number15
Publication statusPublished - 8 Apr 2016
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes