# Neutron study of in-plane skyrmions in MnSi thin films

## TL;DR

This study uses polarized neutron reflectometry and small angle neutron scattering to investigate in-plane skyrmions in MnSi thin films, revealing their confinement and disordered glassy state at low temperatures.

## Contribution

It provides the first three-dimensional characterization of in-plane skyrmions in MnSi thin films using combined neutron scattering techniques.

## Key findings

- Skyrmions exist above 10 K in MnSi thin films.
- Skyrmions are confined to the film's middle layer.
- The magnetic structure is a disordered 2D skyrmion glass.

## Abstract

The magnetic structure of the in-plane skyrmions in epitaxial MnSi/Si(111) thin films is probed in three dimensions by the combination of polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS). We demonstrate that skyrmions exist in a region of the phase diagram above at temperature of 10 K. PNR shows the skyrmions are confined to the middle of the film due to the potential well formed by the surface twists. However, SANS shows that there is considerable disorder within the plane indicating that the magnetic structure is a 2D skyrmion glass.