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Bloch Lines Constituting Antiskyrmions Captured via Differential Phase Contrast
Author(s) -
Yasin Fehmi S.,
Peng Licong,
Takagi Rina,
Kanazawa Naoya,
Seki Shinichiro,
Tokura Yoshinori,
Yu Xiuzhen
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.202004206
Subject(s) - condensed matter physics , magnetization , bloch wave , magnetic domain , magnet , materials science , physics , geometric phase , phase (matter) , magnetic field , quantum mechanics
Much scientific capital has been directed toward exotic magnetic spin textures called Bloch lines, that is, Néel‐type line boundaries within domain walls, because their geometry promises high‐density magnetic storage. While predicted to arise in high‐anisotropy magnets, bulk soft magnets, and thin films with in‐plane magnetization, Bloch lines also constitute magnetic antiskyrmions, that is, topological antiparticles of skyrmions. Most domain walls occur as Bloch‐type or Néel‐type, in which the magnetization rotates parallel or perpendicular to the domain wall across its profile, respectively. The Bloch lines’ Néel‐type rotation and their minute size make them difficult to directly measure. This work utilizes differential phase contrast (DPC) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) to measure the in‐plane magnetization of Bloch lines within antiskyrmions emergent in a non‐centrosymmetric Heusler magnet with D 2d symmetry, Mn 1.4 Pt 0.9 Pd 0.1 Sn, in addition to Bloch‐type skyrmions in an FeGe magnet with B20‐type crystal structure to benchmark the DPC technique. Both in‐focus measurement and identification of Bloch lines at the antiskyrmion's corners are provided.