Unlocking Hidden Potential in Electron Holography of Non-Collinear Spin Textures

Abstract

Due to their particle-like properties, three-dimensional (3D) spin textures have garnered significant interest, particularly for their potential applications in next-generation information storage devices. However, efficiently identifying these textures remains a major challenge. Here, we approach this problem from a new perspective. Rather than relying solely on the magnetic stray field, which vanishes in antiferromagnets, we use multiple-scattering theory to demonstrate that spin textures carry nontrivial charges due to the noncollinearity of magnetic moments. This induced charge encodes magnetic information driven by spin-mixing and spin-orbit interactions. We propose leveraging electron holography to extract this information by reconstructing phase images obtained from transmission electron microscopy (TEM). To quantify this effect, we systematically calculate and compare the contributions of both conventional and newly identified mechanisms to the phase images, considering different electronic structure parameters. Our findings mark a significant milestone in advancing the exploration and possible application of 3D spin textures in next-generation spintronic devices.