Magnetism and Néel skyrmion dynamics in GaV4S8−ySey

Hicken, T.J.; Holt, S.J.R.; Franke, K.J.A.; Hawkhead, Z.; Štefančič, A.; Wilson, M.N.; Gomilšek, M.; Huddart, B.M.; Clark, S.J.; Lees, M.R.; Pratt, F.L.; Blundell, S.J.; Balakrishnan, G.; Lancaster, T.

Abstract

We present an investigation of the influence of low levels of chemical substitution on the magnetic ground state and Néel skyrmion lattice (SkL) state in GaV4S8−ySey, where y=0,0.1,7.9, and 8. Muon-spin spectroscopy (μSR) measurements on y=0 and 0.1 materials reveal the magnetic ground state consists of microscopically coexisting incommensurate cycloidal and ferromagnetic environments, whereas chemical substitution leads to the growth of localized regions of increased spin density. μSR measurements of emergent low-frequency skyrmion dynamics show that the SkL exists under low levels of substitution at both ends of the series. Skyrmionic excitations persist to temperatures below the equilibrium SkL in substituted samples, suggesting the presence of skyrmion precursors over a wide range of temperatures.

Citation

Hicken, T., Holt, S., Franke, K., Hawkhead, Z., Štefančič, A., Wilson, M., Gomilšek, M., Huddart, B., Clark, S., Lees, M., Pratt, F., Blundell, S., Balakrishnan, G., & Lancaster, T. (2020). Magnetism and Néel skyrmion dynamics in GaV4S8−ySey. Physical Review Research, 2(3), Article 032001. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevresearch.2.032001

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 4, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jul 1, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Deposit Date: Jul 2, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 9, 2020
• Journal: Physical Review Research
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 3
• Article Number: 032001
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevresearch.2.032001
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1261521
• Related Public URLs: https://arxiv.org/abs/2003.08682