Moire Topological Magnetism Twist-Engineered from 2D Spin Spirals

TL;DR

This paper introduces a universal, field-free method to convert trivial 2D spin spirals into topologically protected magnetic textures using twisted antiferromagnetic bilayers, validated through simulations on NiCl2 and NiBr2.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach to engineer topological magnetism from trivial spin structures via twisting bilayers, eliminating the need for external magnetic fields.

Findings

Twisted NiCl2 exhibits tunable topological spin states, including antiferromagnetic bimerons.

Twisted NiBr2 can be transformed from trivial to topological states with strain.

The approach is validated through first-principles and atomistic simulations.

Abstract

Topological magnetism, characterized by topologically protected spin textures, offers rich physics and transformative prospects for spintronics. However, its stabilization typically demands external magnetic fields, preventing straightforward implementation. Here, we report a universal field-free approach for engineering 2D topologically-trivial spin spirals into topological magnetisms. This approach leverages twisted antiferromagnetic bilayers, where locked spin spirals in the two sublayers form spatially alternating ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic domains upon twisting. These domains frustrate the uniform antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange, spontaneously stabilizing moire topological magnetisms without external fields. Using first-principles and atomistic spin-model simulations, we validate this approach using bilayers NiCl2 and NiBr2, as representative examples. For twisted NiCl2, we predict topological spin states tunable by the twist angle, including isolated and high-order antiferromagnetic bimerons. For twisted NiBr2, strong frustration yields trivial triple-q spin spirals, which transform into moire topological magnetism with the application of vertical compressive strain. Our findings demonstrate that topologically non-trivial spin textures can be engineered from their trivial counterparts, thus providing a new paradigm for topological spintronics