Transport Theory of Metallic B20 Helimagnets

TL;DR

This paper explores how spin-orbit coupling influences electron and spin transport in B20 helimagnets, revealing novel effects like anisotropic magnetoresistance and inverse spin-galvanic phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces an effective Hamiltonian based on symmetry analysis to explain anomalous transport behaviors and discusses the origin of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in B20 compounds.

Findings

Anisotropic magnetoresistance exhibits anomalous behaviors due to SOC.

Inverse spin-galvanic effect is proposed in B20 compounds.

The origin of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction is discussed.

Abstract

B20 compounds are a class of cubic helimagnets harboring nontrivial spin textures such as spin helices and skyrmions. It has been well understood that the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction is the origin of these textures, and the physics behind the DM interaction is the spin-orbital coupling (SOC). However the SOC shows its effect not only on the spins, but also on the electrons. In this paper, we will discuss effects of the SOC on the electron and spin transports in B20 compounds. An effective Hamiltonian is presented from symmetry analysis, and the spin-orbital coupling therein shows anomalous behaviors in anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) and helical resistance. New effects such as inverse spin-galvanic effect is proposed, and the origin of the DM interaction is discussed.