First-Order Magnetic Transitions and Metastability in the Néel Skyrmion Lattice Host GaV4S8

ORAL

Abstract

The lacunar spinel GaV4S8 is a unique example of a polar noncentrosymmetric magnetic material which hosts an achiral Néel skyrmion lattice (SkL) below TC ~ 13 K. Until recently, the bulk SkL phase was experimentally observed only in chiral crystals. In contrast to its chiral counterparts, the Néel SkL, which is described as a superposition of spin cycloids, is stable over a relatively large temperature and magnetic field range. While its proximity to TC suggests that thermal fluctuations play a role in stabilization of the SkL, the phase evolution is not well understood. In this study, a detailed analysis of the phase transitions in a GaV4S8 single crystal are investigated. The linear and nonlinear components of the ac susceptibility as a function of temperature and magnetic field are examined for a frequency range, f = 11 – 10 ,000 Hz. Particularly, the metastability of the spin cycloid and SkL states are investigated via field history experiments. The hysteretic behavior of the first-order metamagnetic cycloid to SkL transition is presented via complementary dc and ac susceptibility measurements.

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Presenters

  • Eleanor Clements

    Univ of South Florida

Authors

  • Eleanor Clements

    Univ of South Florida

  • Raja Das

    Applied Physics, University of South Florida, Univ of South Florida, Physics, Univ of South Florida

  • Ganesh Pokharel

    Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Univ of Tennessee, Knoxville

  • David Mandrus

    Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, University of Tennessee, Materials Science and Technology, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Material Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oakridge National Laboratory, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Univ of Tennessee, Knoxville

  • Hariharan Srikanth

    Applied Physics, University of South Florida, Univ of South Florida, Physics Department, University of South Florida, Physics, Univ of South Florida

  • Manh-Huong Phan

    Applied Physics, University of South Florida, Univ of South Florida, Physics, Univ of South Florida