TY  - JOUR
A1  - Schmitt, Martin
A1  - Moras, Paolo
A1  - Bihlmayer, Gustav
A1  - Cotsakis, Ryan
A1  - Vogt, Matthias
A1  - Kemmer, Jeannette
A1  - Belabbes, Abderrezak
A1  - Sheverdyaeva, Polina M.
A1  - Kundu, Asish K.
A1  - Carbone, Carlo
A1  - Blügel, Stefan
A1  - Bode, Matthias
T1  - Indirect chiral magnetic exchange through Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya-enhanced RKKY interactions in manganese oxide chains on Ir(100)
JF  - Nature Communications
N2  - Localized electron spins can couple magnetically via the Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida interaction even if their wave functions lack direct overlap. Theory predicts that spin–orbit scattering leads to a Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya type enhancement of this indirect exchange interaction, giving rise to chiral exchange terms. Here we present a combined spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, angle-resolved photoemission, and density functional theory study of MnO2 chains on Ir(100). Whereas we find antiferromagnetic Mn–Mn coupling along the chain, the inter-chain coupling across the non-magnetic Ir substrate turns out to be chiral with a 120° rotation between adjacent MnO2 chains. Calculations reveal that the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction results in spin spirals with a periodicity in agreement with experiment. Our findings confirm the existence of indirect chiral magnetic exchange, potentially giving rise to exotic phenomena, such as chiral spin-liquid states in spin ice systems or the emergence of new quasiparticles.
KW  - magnetic properties and materials
KW  - surfaces, interfaces and thin films
Y1  - 2019
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-230986
VL  - 10
ER  -