Properties and dynamics of meron topological spin textures in the two-dimensional magnet CrCl3

Mathias Augustin, Sarah Jenkins, Richard F. L. Evans, Kostya S. Novoselov and Elton J. G. Santos ()
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Mathias Augustin: Queen’s University
Sarah Jenkins: The University of York
Richard F. L. Evans: The University of York
Kostya S. Novoselov: National University of Singapore
Elton J. G. Santos: The University of Edinburgh

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Merons are nontrivial topological spin textures highly relevant for many phenomena in solid state physics. Despite their importance, direct observation of such vortex quasiparticles is scarce and has been limited to a few complex materials. Here, we show the emergence of merons and antimerons in recently discovered two-dimensional (2D) CrCl3 at zero magnetic field. We show their entire evolution from pair creation, their diffusion over metastable domain walls, and collision leading to large magnetic monodomains. Both quasiparticles are stabilized spontaneously during cooling at regions where in-plane magnetic frustration takes place. Their dynamics is determined by the interplay between the strong in-plane dipolar interactions and the weak out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy stabilising a vortex core within a radius of 8–10 nm. Our results push the boundary to what is currently known about non-trivial spin structures in 2D magnets and open exciting opportunities to control magnetic domains via topological quasiparticles.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20497-2

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