ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

The Origin of Zero-Field Multi-Q Magnetic Order

Abstract: Multi-Q magnetism is a form of magnetic order in which the arms of the star of magnetic propagation are interconnected. Skyrmions, vortex-like spin structures, are notable examples of multi-Q order. However, the formation of skyrmions and more generally multi-Q order in zero-field is not understood. One of the leading theoretical hypotheses for this is the inclusion of anisotropic exchange in the Hamiltonian of systems with spin-orbit coupling. To test this hypothesis, we propose to study the zero-field multi-Q magnetic structures of TbRu2Si2, a system in which tantalising evidence exists for such ordering. Crucially, the Tb3+ ion exhibits strong spin-orbit coupling. Therefore, providing an understanding of this type of order in spin-orbit coupled systems may pave the way for developing zero-field skyrmion systems, which hold promise in topological spintronics. We posit that detailed neutron diffraction studies are the most direct and crucial probe to begin addressing these significant questions since the development of model Hamiltonians depend on comprehensive and robust interpretations of the magnetic structures.

Principal Investigator: Dr George Wood
Experimenter: Dr Roger Johnson
Experimenter: Dr Daniel Mayoh
Experimenter: Professor Geetha Balakrishnan
Experimenter: Professor Martin Lees
Local Contact: Dr Fabio Orlandi

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2510597

ISIS Experiment Number: RB2510597

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Dr George Wood et al; (2025): The Origin of Zero-Field Multi-Q Magnetic Order, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2510597

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.