Real-Space Berry Phases - Skyrmion Soccer

TL;DR

This paper explores how electrons acquire Berry phases when moving through magnetic textures like skyrmions, revealing the topological nature of these effects and their implications for electronic properties.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of real-space Berry phases in magnetic textures, emphasizing the role of skyrmions in studying these quantum effects.

Findings

Skyrmions induce measurable Berry phases in electrons.

Emergent magnetic fields from skyrmions affect electron dynamics.

Theoretical framework links magnetic textures to quantum phase accumulation.

Abstract

Berry phases occur when a system adiabatically evolves along a closed curve in parameter space. This tutorial-like article focuses on Berry phases accumulated in real space. In particular, we consider the situation where an electron traverses a smooth magnetic structure, while its magnetic moment adjusts to the local magnetization direction. Mapping the adiabatic physics to an effective problem in terms of emergent fields reveals that certain magnetic textures - skyrmions - are tailormade to study these Berry phase effects.