Superposition of emergent monopole and antimonopole in CoTb thin films

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.217201

Authors: Yao Guang (Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences) , Kejing Ran (ShanghaiTech University) , Junwei Zhang (Lanzhou University) , Yizhou Liu (Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences) , Senfu Zhang (Lanzhou University; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)) , Xuepeng Qiu (Tongji University) , Yong Peng (Lanzhou University) , Xixiang Zhang (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)) , Markus Weigand (Max-Planck-Institut für Intelligente Systeme) , Joachim Gräfe (Max-Planck-Institut für Intelligente Systeme) , Gisela Schütz (Max-Planck-Institut für Intelligente Systeme) , Gerrit Van Der Laan (Diamond Light Source) , Thorsten Hesjedal (University of Oxford) , Shilei Zhang (ShanghaiTech University) , Guoqiang Yu (Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory) , Xiufeng Han (Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Physical Review Letters , VOL 127

State: Published (Approved)
Published: November 2021
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 23785

Abstract: A three-dimensional singular point that consists of two oppositely aligned emergent monopoles is identified in continuous CoTb thin films, as confirmed by complementary techniques of resonant elastic x-ray scattering, Lorentz transmission electron microscopy, and scanning transmission x-ray microscopy. This new type of topological defect can be regarded as a superposition of an emergent magnetic monopole and an antimonopole, around which the source and drain of the magnetic flux overlap in space. We experimentally prove that the observed spin twist seen in Lorentz transmission electron microscopy reveals the cross section of the superimposed three-dimensional structure, providing a straightforward strategy for the observation of magnetic singularities. Such a quasiparticle provides an excellent platform for studying the rich physics of emergent electromagnetism.

Journal Keywords: Magnetic texture; Ferrimagnets; Resonant elastic x-ray scattering

Diamond Keywords: Ferrimagnetism

Subject Areas: Materials, Physics


Instruments: I10-Beamline for Advanced Dichroism

Added On: 24/11/2021 13:42

Discipline Tags:

Surfaces Quantum Materials Physics Hard condensed matter - structures Magnetism Materials Science interfaces and thin films

Technical Tags:

Scattering Resonant Elastic X-ray Scattering (REXS)