Field-orientation-dependent magnetic phases in GdRu₂Si₂ probed with muon-spin spectroscopy

Huddart, B. M.; Hernández-Melián, A.; Wood, G. D. A.; Mayoh, D. A.; Gomilšek, M.; Guguchia, Z.; Wang, C.; Hicken, T. J.; Blundell, S. J.; Balakrishnan, G.; Lancaster, T.

Abstract

Centrosymmetric GdRu₂Si₂ exhibits a variety of multi-𝑄 magnetic states as a function of temperature and applied magnetic field, including a square skyrmion-lattice phase. The material's behavior is strongly dependent on the direction of the applied field, with different phase diagrams resulting for fields applied parallel or perpendicular to the crystallographic 𝑐 axis. Here, we present the results of muon-spin relaxation (𝜇+SR) measurements on single crystals of GdRu₂Si₂. Our analysis is based on the computation of muon stopping sites and consideration of quantum zero-point motion effects of muons, allowing direct comparison with the underlying spin textures in the material. The muon site is confirmed experimentally, using angle-dependent measurements of the muon Knight shift. Using transverse-field 𝜇+SR with fields applied along either the [001] or [100] crystallographic directions, we distinguish between the magnetic phases in this system via their distinct muon response, providing additional evidence for the skyrmion and meron-lattice phases, while also suggesting the existence of RKKY-driven muon hyperfine coupling. Zero-field 𝜇+SR provides clear evidence for a transition between two distinct magnetically ordered phases at 39 K.

Citation

Huddart, B. M., Hernández-Melián, A., Wood, G. D. A., Mayoh, D. A., Gomilšek, M., Guguchia, Z., Wang, C., Hicken, T. J., Blundell, S. J., Balakrishnan, G., & Lancaster, T. (2025). Field-orientation-dependent magnetic phases in GdRu₂Si₂ probed with muon-spin spectroscopy. Physical Review B, 111(5), Article 054440. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.111.054440

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 29, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Feb 27, 2025
• Publication Date: Feb 27, 2025
• Deposit Date: Feb 28, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 28, 2025
• Journal: Physical Review B
• Print ISSN: 2469-9950
• Electronic ISSN: 2469-9969
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 111
• Issue: 5
• Article Number: 054440
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.111.054440
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3550967