Step-Edge-Induced Anisotropic Chiral Spin Coupling in Ultrathin Magnetic Films

A. Schlenhoff, S. Krause, and R. Wiesendanger
Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 037201 – Published 17 July 2019

Abstract

Step edges represent a local break of lateral symmetry in ultrathin magnetic films. In our experiments, we investigate the spin coupling across atomic step edges on Fe/W(110) by means of spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Local modifications of the spin texture toward step edges separating double from single layer areas are observed, and selection rules indicate a chiral spin coupling that significantly changes with the propagation along the [11¯0] or the [001] crystallographic direction. The findings are explained via anisotropic Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions arising from the broken lateral symmetry at atomic step edges.

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  • Received 3 December 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.037201

© 2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

A. Schlenhoff*, S. Krause, and R. Wiesendanger

  • Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11A, 20355 Hamburg, Germany

  • *aschlenh@physnet.uni-hamburg.de

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Issue

Vol. 123, Iss. 3 — 19 July 2019

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