Topological-chiral magnetic interactions in ultrathin films at surfaces

TL;DR

This paper reveals that topological-chiral magnetic interactions significantly influence the magnetic ground states in ultrathin surface films, especially in Mn monolayers, through first-principles calculations and spin simulations.

Contribution

It introduces the role of topological-chiral interactions in surface ultrathin films and predicts complex magnetic states arising from these interactions.

Findings

Chiral interactions are significant in Mn monolayers due to topological orbital moments.

Superposition states like 2Q and distorted 3Q emerge from competing interactions.

Distorted 3Q state may be the ground state in Mn/Re(0001) based on simulations.

Abstract

We demonstrate that topological-chiral magnetic interactions can play a key role for magnetic ground states in ultrathin films at surfaces. Based on density functional theory we show that significant chiral-chiral interactions occur in hexagonal Mn monolayers due to large topological orbital moments which interact with the emergent magnetic field. Due to the competition with higher-order exchange interactions superposition states of spin spirals such as the 2Q state or a distorted 3Q state arise. Simulations of spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy images suggest that the distorted 3Q state could be the magnetic ground state of a Mn monolayer on Re(0001).