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Updated: May 24, 2026

Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope
Published on: March 24, 2019
Direct observation of unconventional topological spin structure in coupled magnetic discs
C Phatak1, A K Petford-Long, O Heinonen
1Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA.
Abstract:
Confined magnetic thin films are known to exhibit a variety of fascinating topological spin states such as Skyrmions, vortices, and antivortices. Such topological excitations are fundamentally important to our understanding of quantum critical phenomenon and related phase transitions. Here we report on the direct observation of an unconventional topological spin state and its behavior in antiferromagnetically coupled NiFe discs at room temperature. The observed spin structure is similar to the theoretically predicted merons which have not yet been observed directly. We have used in situ Lorentz microscopy magnetizing experiments combined with micromagnetic simulations to follow the stability and the behavior of the meron state. The work presented in this paper will open new opportunities for direct experimental investigation of various topological states that can provide insights into the fundamental physics of their interactions.
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