Superposition of Emergent Monopole and Antimonopole in CoTb Thin Films

Guang, Yao; Ran, Kejing; Zhang, Junwei; Liu, Yizhou; Zhang, Senfu; Qiu, Xuepeng; Peng, Yong; Zhang, Xixiang; Weigand, Markus; Gräfe, Joachim; Schütz, Gisela; van der Laan, Gerrit; Hesjedal, Thorsten; Zhang, Shilei; Yu, Guoqiang; Han, Xiufeng

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Date

2021-11-16

Submitted Date

2021-04-25

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http://hdl.handle.net/10754/673756

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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.

Citation

Guang, Y., Ran, K., Zhang, J., Liu, Y., Zhang, S., Qiu, X., … Han, X. (2021). Superposition of Emergent Monopole and Antimonopole in CoTb Thin Films. Physical Review Letters, 127(21). doi:10.1103/physrevlett.127.217201

Sponsors

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grants No. 2017YFA0206200 and No. 2020YFA0309400), the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. Z190009), the Science Center of the National Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52088101), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants No. 11874409, No. 51831012, No. 12074257, No. 11804380, and No. 12004249), the Shanghai Sailing Program (Grant No. 20YF1430600), and the K. C. Wong Education Foundation (Grant No. GJTD- 2019-14). X. X. Z acknowledges the support from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology with funding numbers: ORS2019-CRG8-4081. T. H. acknowledges support from the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (UK) under Grant No. EP/N032128/1. Diamond Light Source is acknowledged for beam time on I10 under proposal number MM-23785.