Thermal stability and irreversibility of skyrmion-lattice phases in Cu2OSeO3

Koya Makino; Johannes D. Reim; Daiki Higashi; Daisuke Okuyama; Taku J. Sato; Yusuke Nambu; Elliot P. Gilbert; Norman Booth; Shinichiro Seki; Yoshinori Tokura

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.95.134412

Thermal stability and irreversibility of skyrmion-lattice phases in Cu2OSeO3

Koya Makino, Johannes D. Reim, Daiki Higashi, Daisuke Okuyama, Taku J. Sato, Yusuke Nambu, Elliot P. Gilbert, Norman Booth, Shinichiro Seki, Yoshinori Tokura

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

27 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Small angle neutron scattering measurements have been performed to study the thermodynamic stability of skyrmion-lattice phases in Cu2OSeO3. We found that the two distinct skyrmion-lattice phases [SkX(1) and SkX(2) phases] can be stabilized through different thermal histories; by cooling from the paramagnetic phase under finite magnetic field, the SkX(2) phase is selected. On the other hand, the 30-rotated SkX(1) phase becomes dominant by heating the sample from the ordered conical phase under finite field. This difference in stabilization is surprisingly similar to the irreversibility observed in spin glasses. The zero-field cooling results in the coexistence of the two phases. It is further found that once one of the skyrmion-lattice phases is formed, it is hardly destabilized. This indicates unusual thermal stability of the two skyrmion-lattice phases originating from an unexpectedly large energy barrier between them.

Original language	English
Article number	134412
Journal	Physical Review B
Volume	95
Issue number	13
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.95.134412
Publication status	Published - 2017 Apr 10

Access to Document

10.1103/PhysRevB.95.134412

Cite this

@article{67b529f61b3a44ec821178569e533d75,

title = "Thermal stability and irreversibility of skyrmion-lattice phases in Cu2OSeO3",

abstract = "Small angle neutron scattering measurements have been performed to study the thermodynamic stability of skyrmion-lattice phases in Cu2OSeO3. We found that the two distinct skyrmion-lattice phases [SkX(1) and SkX(2) phases] can be stabilized through different thermal histories; by cooling from the paramagnetic phase under finite magnetic field, the SkX(2) phase is selected. On the other hand, the 30-rotated SkX(1) phase becomes dominant by heating the sample from the ordered conical phase under finite field. This difference in stabilization is surprisingly similar to the irreversibility observed in spin glasses. The zero-field cooling results in the coexistence of the two phases. It is further found that once one of the skyrmion-lattice phases is formed, it is hardly destabilized. This indicates unusual thermal stability of the two skyrmion-lattice phases originating from an unexpectedly large energy barrier between them.",

author = "Koya Makino and Reim, {Johannes D.} and Daiki Higashi and Daisuke Okuyama and Sato, {Taku J.} and Yusuke Nambu and Gilbert, {Elliot P.} and Norman Booth and Shinichiro Seki and Yoshinori Tokura",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 American Physical Society.",

year = "2017",

month = apr,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevB.95.134412",

language = "English",

volume = "95",

journal = "Physical Review B",

issn = "2469-9950",

publisher = "American Physical Society",

number = "13",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Thermal stability and irreversibility of skyrmion-lattice phases in Cu2OSeO3

AU - Makino, Koya

AU - Reim, Johannes D.

AU - Higashi, Daiki

AU - Okuyama, Daisuke

AU - Sato, Taku J.

AU - Nambu, Yusuke

AU - Gilbert, Elliot P.

AU - Booth, Norman

AU - Seki, Shinichiro

AU - Tokura, Yoshinori

PY - 2017/4/10

Y1 - 2017/4/10

N2 - Small angle neutron scattering measurements have been performed to study the thermodynamic stability of skyrmion-lattice phases in Cu2OSeO3. We found that the two distinct skyrmion-lattice phases [SkX(1) and SkX(2) phases] can be stabilized through different thermal histories; by cooling from the paramagnetic phase under finite magnetic field, the SkX(2) phase is selected. On the other hand, the 30-rotated SkX(1) phase becomes dominant by heating the sample from the ordered conical phase under finite field. This difference in stabilization is surprisingly similar to the irreversibility observed in spin glasses. The zero-field cooling results in the coexistence of the two phases. It is further found that once one of the skyrmion-lattice phases is formed, it is hardly destabilized. This indicates unusual thermal stability of the two skyrmion-lattice phases originating from an unexpectedly large energy barrier between them.

AB - Small angle neutron scattering measurements have been performed to study the thermodynamic stability of skyrmion-lattice phases in Cu2OSeO3. We found that the two distinct skyrmion-lattice phases [SkX(1) and SkX(2) phases] can be stabilized through different thermal histories; by cooling from the paramagnetic phase under finite magnetic field, the SkX(2) phase is selected. On the other hand, the 30-rotated SkX(1) phase becomes dominant by heating the sample from the ordered conical phase under finite field. This difference in stabilization is surprisingly similar to the irreversibility observed in spin glasses. The zero-field cooling results in the coexistence of the two phases. It is further found that once one of the skyrmion-lattice phases is formed, it is hardly destabilized. This indicates unusual thermal stability of the two skyrmion-lattice phases originating from an unexpectedly large energy barrier between them.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85017509045&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85017509045&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevB.95.134412

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevB.95.134412

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85017509045

SN - 2469-9950

VL - 95

JO - Physical Review B

JF - Physical Review B

IS - 13

M1 - 134412

ER -

Thermal stability and irreversibility of skyrmion-lattice phases in Cu2OSeO3

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this