Theory Department
Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics
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Fischer, J. A., Sandratskii, L. M., Phark, S. H., Ouazi, S., Pasa, A. A., Sander, D., Parkin, S. S. P.

Probing the spinor nature of electronic states in nanosize non-collinear magnets
Nature Communications 7, pp 13000/1-8 (2016)
Non-collinear magnetization textures provide a route to novel device concepts in spintronics. These applications require laterally confined non-collinear magnets (NCM). A crucial aspect for potential applications is how the spatial proximity between the NCM and vacuum or another material impacts the magnetization texture on the nanoscale. We focus on a prototypical exchange-driven NCM given by the helical spin order of bilayer Fe on Cu(111). Spinpolarized scanning tunnelling spectroscopy and density functional theory reveal a nanosizeand proximity-driven modification of the electronic and magnetic structure of the NCM in interfacial contact with a ferromagnet or with vacuum. An intriguing non-collinearity between the local magnetization in the sample and the electronic magnetization probed above its surface results. It is a direct consequence of the spinor nature of electronic states in NCM. Our findings provide a possible route for advanced control of nanoscale spin textures by confinement.

TH-2016-55