Frustration-driven magnetic fluctuations as the origin of the low-temperature skyrmion phase in Co7Zn7Mn6

Abstract

In chiral cubic helimagnets, phases of magnetic skyrmions—topologically protected spin whirls—are stabilized by thermal fluctuations over a narrow region directly below the magnetic ordering temperature T_c. Due to often being touted for use in applications, there is a high demand to identify new ways to stabilize equilibrium skyrmion phases far below T_c where they may display an enhanced robustness against external perturbation due to a larger magnetic order parameter. Here, from quantum beam experiments on the chiral magnet Co₇Zn₇Mn₆, we unveil a direct correlation between the stability of its second skyrmion phase-stable far from T_c, and a concomitant enhancement of an underlying magnetic fluctuation rate that is driven by geometric magnetic frustration. The influences of other leading skyrmion stability mechanisms, such as those derived from thermal fluctuations and low T cubic anisotropies, are shown to be weak in this system. We therefore advance the existence of a fundamental mechanism for stabilizing topological skyrmions in Co₇Zn₇Mn₆ chiral magnet that draws upon magnetic frustration as the key ingredient.