We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of the influence of a uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy on the magnetic textures that are formed in a chiral magnetic system. We show that the epitaxially induced tensile stress in MnSi thin films grown on Si (111) creates an easy-plane uniaxial anisotropy. The magnetoelastic shear stress coefficient is derived from SQUID magnetometry measurements in combination with transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction data. Density functional calculations of the magnetoelastic coefficient support the conclusion that the uniaxial anisotropy originates from the magnetoelastic coupling. Theoretical calculations based on a Dzyaloshinskii model that includes an easy-plane anisotropy predict a variety of modulations to the magnetic order that are not observed in bulk MnSi crystals. Evidence for these states is found in the magnetic hysteresis and polarized neutron reflectometry measurements.
Magnetometry and magnetoresistance measurements in MnSi thin films and
rigorous analytical solutions of the micromagnetic equations show that the
field-induced unwinding of confined helicoids occurs via discrete steps. A
comparison between the magnetometry data and theoretical results shows that
finite size effects confine the wavelength and lead to a quantization of the
number of turns in the helicoid. We demonstrate a prototypical spintronic
device where the magnetic field can push or pull individual turns into a
magnetic spring that can be read by electrical means
A detailed investigation of the magnetization processes in epitaxial MnSi
thin film reveals the existence of elliptically distorted skyrmion strings that
lie in the plane of the film. We provide proof that the uniaxial anisotropy
stabilizes this state over extended regions of the magnetic phase diagram.
Theoretical analysis of an observed cascade of first-order phase transitions is
based on rig- orous numerical calculations of competing chiral modulations,
which shows the existence of helicoids, elliptic skyrmions, and cone phases
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