Long-range crystalline nature of the skyrmion lattice in MnSi

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that the skyrmion lattice in MnSi exhibits long-range crystalline order, confirmed by neutron scattering experiments that reveal resolution-limited Gaussian scans and higher-order scattering indicative of a well-defined, extended magnetic structure.

Contribution

The paper provides experimental evidence of the long-range crystalline nature of the skyrmion lattice in MnSi using advanced neutron scattering techniques and analysis of higher-order scattering.

Findings

Skyrmion lattice in MnSi shows resolution-limited Gaussian rocking scans.

Higher-order scattering indicates a long-range crystalline order.

Field and temperature dependence of scattering supports mean field predictions.

Abstract

We report small angle neutron scattering of the skyrmion lattice in MnSi using an experimental set-up that minimizes the effects of demagnetizing fields and double scattering. Under these conditions the skyrmion lattice displays resolution-limited Gaussian rocking scans that correspond to a magnetic correlation length in excess of several hundred {\mu}m. This is consistent with exceptionally well-defined long-range order. We further establish the existence of higher-order scattering, discriminating parasitic double-scattering with Renninger scans. The field and temperature dependence of the higher-order scattering arises from an interference effect. It is characteristic for the long-range crystalline nature of the skyrmion lattice as shown by simple mean field calculations.