Strain-driven domain wall network with chiral junctions in an antiferromagnet

Vishesh Saxena, Mara Gutzeit, Arturo Rodríguez-Sota, Soumyajyoti Haldar, Felix Zahner, Roland Wiesendanger, André Kubetzka, Stefan Heinze and Kirsten von Bergmann ()
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Vishesh Saxena: University of Hamburg, Institute of Nanostructure and Solid State Physics
Mara Gutzeit: University of Kiel, Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics
Arturo Rodríguez-Sota: University of Hamburg, Institute of Nanostructure and Solid State Physics
Soumyajyoti Haldar: University of Kiel, Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics
Felix Zahner: University of Hamburg, Institute of Nanostructure and Solid State Physics
Roland Wiesendanger: University of Hamburg, Institute of Nanostructure and Solid State Physics
André Kubetzka: University of Hamburg, Institute of Nanostructure and Solid State Physics
Stefan Heinze: University of Kiel, Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics
Kirsten von Bergmann: University of Hamburg, Institute of Nanostructure and Solid State Physics

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Antiferromagnetic materials have recently emerged as promising candidates in spintronics. At the same time, more complex localized non-coplanar magnetic states such as skyrmions are in the research focus due to their intriguing dynamical and transport properties. Recently, a conceptual shift has occurred to envision the use of such magnetic defects not only in one-dimensional race track devices but also to exploit their unique properties in two-dimensional networks. Here we use local strain in a collinear antiferromagnetic film to induce a complex domain wall network. Using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy we characterize the different building blocks of the network – ranging from collinear magnetic domains, over non-collinear domain walls, to non-coplanar localized domain wall junctions – on the atomic scale. We find that the triple domain wall junctions exhibit a structural handedness. The origin is an exchange-driven lateral relaxation as explained using first-principles calculations. We predict that the domain wall junctions exhibit topological orbital magnetization generated by their non-coplanar spin structure, implying topological transport properties due to the network.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-66700-0

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