Electric field control of the skyrmion lattice in Cu2OSeO3

J Phys Condens Matter. 2012 Oct 31;24(43):432201. doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/24/43/432201. Epub 2012 Oct 3.

Abstract

Small-angle neutron scattering has been employed to study the influence of applied electric (E-)fields on the skyrmion lattice in the chiral lattice magnetoelectric Cu(2)OSeO(3). Using an experimental geometry with the E-field parallel to the [111] axis, and the magnetic field parallel to the [11(-)0] axis, we demonstrate that the effect of applying an E-field is to controllably rotate the skyrmion lattice around the magnetic field axis. Our results are an important first demonstration for a microscopic coupling between applied E-fields and the skyrmions in an insulator, and show that the general emergent properties of skyrmions may be tailored according to the properties of the host system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't