Quantum Skyrmions in Two-Dimensional Chiral Magnets

TL;DR

This paper investigates the quantum behavior of skyrmions in two-dimensional chiral magnets, revealing their energy band structure, potential quantum liquid phase, and experimental signatures near phase boundaries.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum mechanical framework for skyrmions, showing how their energy bands split and how a quantum liquid phase can emerge, which is a novel insight into skyrmion dynamics.

Findings

Skyrmion energy dispersion splits into multiple bands due to lattice and Magnus force effects.

Condensation of skyrmions can lead to a quantum liquid phase between skyrmion crystal and ferromagnet.

Experimental signatures of quantum skyrmions are discussed for neutron scattering measurements.

Abstract

We study the quantum mechanics of magnetic skyrmions in the vicinity of the skyrmion-crystal to ferromagnet phase boundary in two-dimensional magnets. We show that the skyrmion excitation has an energy dispersion that splits into multiple bands due to the combination of magnus force and the underlying lattice. Condensation of the skyrmions can give rise to an intermediate phase between the skyrmion crystal and ferromagnet: a quantum liquid, in which skyrmions are not spatially localized. We show that the critical behavior depends on the spin size $S$ and the topological number of the skyrmion. Experimental signatures of quantum skyrmions in inelastic neutron-scattering measurements are also discussed.