A. Neubauer

Skyrmion lattice in a chiral magnet.

Skyrmions represent topologically stable field configurations with particle-like properties. We used neutron scattering to observe the spontaneous formation of a two-dimensional lattice of skyrmion lines, a type of magnetic vortex, in the chiral itinerant-electron magnet MnSi. The skyrmion lattice stabilizes at the border between paramagnetism and long-range helimagnetic order perpendicular to a small applied magnetic field regardless of the direction of the magnetic field relative to the atomic lattice. Our study experimentally establishes magnetic materials lacking inversion symmetry as an arena for new forms of crystalline order composed of topologically stable spin states.

Spin transfer torques in MnSi at ultralow current densities

Spin Control Controlling and manipulating the spin of an electron is a central requirement for applications in spintronics. Some of the challenges researchers are facing include efficient creation of spin currents, minimization of Joule heating, and extending the lifetime of electronic spins, which is especially important for quantum information applications. Costache and Valenzuela (p. 1645) address the first challenge by designing and fabricating an efficient and simple superconducting-based single-electron transistor that can produce spin current with controlled flow. Key to the design is asymmetric tunneling, which leads to a ratchet effect (or diode-like behavior), allowing the separation of up and down spins. Jonietz et al. (p. 1648) use electric currents five orders of magnitude smaller than those used previously in nanostructures to manipulate magnetization in a bulk material, MnSi, pointing the way toward decreased Joule heating in spintronic devices. This so-called spin-torque effect causes the rotation of the skyrmion lattice of spins, characteristic of MnSi, which is detected by neutron scattering. Finally, McCamey et al. (p. 1652) extend the short lifetime of an electronic spin of a phosphorous dopant by mapping it onto the much longer lived nuclear spin of the atom. Mapping the nuclear spin back onto the electronic spin allows production of a spin memory with a storage time exceeding 100s, which should prove useful for future practical applications. A complicated spin texture lattice in a bulk material rotates under the influence of a tiny electrical current. Spin manipulation using electric currents is one of the most promising directions in the field of spintronics. We used neutron scattering to observe the influence of an electric current on the magnetic structure in a bulk material. In the skyrmion lattice of manganese silicon, where the spins form a lattice of magnetic vortices similar to the vortex lattice in type II superconductors, we observe the rotation of the diffraction pattern in response to currents that are over five orders of magnitude smaller than those typically applied in experimental studies on current-driven magnetization dynamics in nanostructures. We attribute our observations to an extremely efficient coupling of inhomogeneous spin currents to topologically stable knots in spin structures.

Topological Hall effect in the A-phase of MnSi

Recent small angle neutron scattering suggests that the spin structure in the A phase of MnSi is a so-called triple-Q state, i.e., a superposition of three helices under 120 degrees. Model calculations indicate that this structure in fact is a lattice of so-called Skyrmions, i.e., a lattice of topologically stable knots in the spin structure. We report a distinct additional contribution to the Hall effect in the temperature and magnetic field range of the proposed Skyrmion lattice, where such a contribution is neither seen nor expected for a normal helical state. Our Hall effect measurements constitute a direct observation of a topologically quantized Berry phase that identifies the spin structure seen in neutron scattering as the proposed Skyrmion lattice.

Skyrmion lattice in the doped semiconductor Fe1-xCoxSi

We report a comprehensive small angle neutron scattering study (SANS) of the magnetic phase diagram of the doped semiconductor Fe_{1-x}Co_{x}Si for x=0.2 and 0.25. For magnetic field parallel to the neutron beam we observe a six-fold intensity pattern under field-cooling, which identifies the A-phase of Fe_{1-x}Co_{x}Si as a skyrmion lattice. The regime of the skyrmion lattice is highly hysteretic and extents over a wide temperature range, consistent with the site disorder of the Fe and Co atoms. Our study identifies Fe_{1-x}Co_{x}Si is a second material after MnSi in which a skyrmion lattice forms and establishes that skyrmion lattices may also occur in strongly doped semiconductors.

Skyrmion lattices in metallic and semiconducting B20 transition metal compounds

High pressure studies in MnSi suggest the existence of a non-Fermi liquid state without quantum criticality. The observation of partial magnetic order in a small pocket of the pressure versus temperature phase diagram of MnSi has additionally inspired several proposals of complex spin textures in chiral magnets. We used neutron scattering to observe the formation of a two-dimensional lattice of skyrmion lines, a type of magnetic vortices, under applied magnetic fields in metallic and semiconducting B20 compounds. In strongly disordered systems the skyrmion lattice is hysteretic and extends over a large temperature range. Our study experimentally establishes magnetic materials lacking inversion symmetry as an arena for new forms of spin order composed of topologically stable spin textures.

Long-range crystalline nature of the skyrmion lattice in MnSi

We report small angle neutron scattering of the Skyrmion lattice in MnSi using an experimental setup that minimizes the effects of demagnetizing fields and double scattering. Under these conditions, the Skyrmion lattice displays resolution-limited Gaussian rocking peaks that correspond to a magnetic correlation length in excess of several hundred micrometers. This is consistent with exceptionally well-defined long-range order. We further establish the existence of higher-order scattering, discriminating parasitic double scattering with Renninger scans. The field and temperature dependence of the higher-order scattering arises from an interference effect. It is characteristic for the long-range crystalline nature of the Skyrmion lattice as shown by simple mean-field calculations.

Towards a tomographic reconstruction of neutron depolarization data

In this paper we show a first approach to the three dimensional reconstruction of spatially resolved neutron depolarization data. We will show measurements with a position sensitive CCD detector on a longitudinal polarization analysis setup using 3He polarizers and analyzers installed at the radiography beamline ANTARES at FRM II, Munich. A tomographic reconstruction of data acquired with an inhomogeneous Pd1−xNix sample shows that this method is a powerful tool to identify regions of different magnetic properties inside the sample.

Skyrmion Lattice Domains in Fe1−xCoxSi

The strongly doped semiconductor Fe1−xCoxSi displays a dome of helimagnetic order for 0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.7. We report small angle neutron scattering of the magnetic structure in the skyrmion lattice phase of Fe1−xCoxSi for x = 0.2 and magnetic field parallel to a crystallographic (100) direction. We observe twelve equally spaced maxima of scattering intensity on a ring, with an underlying six-fold symmetry of two sets of six spots. The intensity distribution suggests the formation of two degenerate skyrmion lattice domain populations with respect to the four-fold symmetry of the (100) directions in the scattering plane.

Ordinary and intrinsic anomalous Hall effects in Nb1−yFe2+y

The Hall effect on selected samples of the dilution series Nb1-yFe2+y is studied. Normal and anomalous contributions are observed, with positive normal Hall effect dominating at high temperatures. Consistent analysis of the anomalous contribution is only possible for Fe-rich Nb0.985Fe2.015 featuring a ferromagnetic ground state. Here, a positive normal Hall coefficient is found at all temperatures with a moderate maximum at the spin-density-wave transition. The anomalous Hall effect is consistent with an intrinsic (Berry-phase) contribution which is constant below the ordering temperature TC and continuously vanishes above TC. For stoichiometric NbFe2 and Nb-rich Nb1.01Fe1.99 - both having a spin-density-wave ground state - an additional contribution to the Hall resistivity impedes a complete analysis and indicates the need for more sophisticated models of the anomalous Hall effect in itinerant antiferromagnets.

Polarized neutron radiography with a periscope

The interaction of the magnetic moment of the neutron with magnetic fields provides a powerful probe for spatially resolved magnetisation measurements in magnetic materials. We have tested a periscope as a new type of polarizer providing neutron beams with a high polarization and a low divergence. The observed inhomogeneity of the beam caused by the waviness of the glass substrates was quantified by means of Monte-Carlo simulations using the software package McStas. The results show that beams of high homogeneity can be produced if the waviness is reduced to below 1.0?10?5 rad. Finally, it is shown that radiography with polarized neutrons is a powerful method for measuring the spatially resolved magnetisation in optically float-zoned samples of the weak itinerant ferromagnet Ni3Al, thereby aiding the identification of the appropriate growth parameters.