Multifarious skyrmion phases on a trilayer triangular lattice

TL;DR

This paper explores various skyrmion crystal phases in a trilayer triangular lattice with layer-dependent interactions, revealing rich magnetic phases and potential for designing topological spin textures.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive study of multiple skyrmion phases in trilayer systems with layer-dependent Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions, highlighting new magnetic states.

Findings

Identification of multiple skyrmion crystal phases including twisted surface and anti-skyrmions.

Discovery of high-topological-number skyrmion phases.

Layer-dependent interactions enable diverse magnetic textures.

Abstract

The instability toward a magnetic skyrmion crystal in centrosymmetric trilayer magnets is investigated based on a spin model with layer-dependent Dzayloshinskii-Moriya interaction. We find various types of skyrmion crystal phases with different skyrmion numbers in a low-temperature phase diagram by performing the simulated annealing. In addition to the N\'eel skyrmion crystal phase that is expected to emerge in the presence of the polar-type Dzayloshinskii-Moriya interaction, we obtain the skyrmion crystal phases characteristics of the layered system: the twisted surface skyrmion crystal, anti-skyrmion crystal, and high-topological-number skyrmion crystal phases. The rich magnetic phases are brought about by the synergy among the layer-dependent Dzayloshinskii-Moriya interaction, interlayer exchange interaction, and an external magnetic field. Our results indicate that the layer degree of freedom at the surface and heterostructures provides a good platform to engineer and design the topological spin textures.