Microscopic evidence of spin-driven multiferroicity and topological spin textures in monolayer NiI2

TL;DR

This study provides microscopic evidence of spin-driven multiferroicity and topological spin textures in monolayer NiI2, revealing complex spin arrangements and their coupling to electric polarization at atomic scale.

Contribution

First demonstration of spin-driven multiferroicity and topological spin textures in a 2D monolayer NiI2 using advanced microscopy and modeling.

Findings

Identified a canted spin-spiral state with a determined spin rotation plane.

Discovered topological meron/antimeron pairs at domain walls.

Observed charge modulations and band shifts linked to spin textures.

Abstract

In type II multiferroics, noncollinear spin textures are expected to induce electric polarization directly, leading to strong magnetoelectric coupling. Realizing such spin driven multiferroicity in two-dimensional systems, and elucidating the interplay between local spins and electric polarization, are of both fundamental and technological importance. Here, using vectorial spin polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, we investigated the spin-driven multiferroicity in monolayer NiI2 at atomic scale. We identify a canted spin-spiral state with fully determined spin rotation plane, accompanied by a 2Q charge modulation. At spin spiral domain walls, we discover topological spin textures that composed of meron/antimeron pairs. These textures are associated with distinct charge pattern and notable band shifts, indicating local bound charges induced by variations of ferroelectricity at domain wall. Our observations are well captured by a realistic spin model incorporating Kitaev interactions and generalized spin-current model of type II multiferroicity. The findings provide microscopic evidence of spin-driven multiferroicity in an extreme 2D system and establish a platform for low-dissipation, electric-field control of topological spin textures.