Tailoring the chiral magnetic interaction between two individual atoms

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Chiral magnets offer potential for high-density, energy-efficient magnetic storage.
• Controlling magnetic exchange interactions, like the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, is crucial for engineering these materials.
• The Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction dictates the magnetization's rotational sense in coupled magnetic moments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the manipulation of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction between individual magnetic atoms.
• To establish a method for controlling atomic-scale magnetic chirality.
• To provide a predictive map for tailoring magnetic ground states in dilute atomic magnets.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a scanning tunneling microscope to precisely adjust the interatomic distance between magnetic atoms on a metallic surface.
• Quantifying the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction through experimental measurements.
• Comparing experimental data with a quantum magnetic model and ab-initio calculations.

Main Results:

• The indirect, conduction electron-mediated Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction can be tuned by altering the interatomic separation.
• A map of chiral ground states was generated, correlating interatomic distance with magnetic chirality.
• Atomic-level control over magnetic chirality in dilute systems was achieved.

Conclusions:

• Precise control over interatomic distances enables the engineering of chiral magnets.
• The findings pave the way for designing novel magnetic storage technologies at the nanoscale.
• This work provides a fundamental understanding for tailoring magnetic properties in atomic-scale systems.