Atomic-scale visualization of topological spin textures in the chiral magnet MnGe

Abstract

Peeking into magnetic textures Topological spin textures hold promise as robust carriers of information and have been observed in bulk materials with a specific crystal structure. One of these materials, manganese germanide (MnGe), exhibits unusual textures in bulk form. Repicky et al . used spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy to study surface magnetism in thin films of MnGe. Achieving high spatial resolution, the researchers observed stripe-like features consistent with a helical state. In regions where the film was slightly curved due to strain, the intersection of domain walls led to characteristic closed patterns that could be manipulated with current/voltage pulses. —JS