Unpinning the skyrmion lattice in MnSi

Materials hosting magnetic skyrmion lattices are promising materials for future spintronic applications. Given their potential technological use, it is important to understand the response of these magnetic textures under different physical and chemical environments. We have investigated the behavior of the skyrmion lattice in MnSi_1-xGa_x single crystals with variations in the temperature and the magnitude and direction of a magnetic field using small angle neutron scattering and magnetization measurements. Our results indicate that the disorder caused by the inclusion of even of small amount of a heavier element such as Ga can substantially change the pinning of the skyrmion lattice when compared to pure MnSi.