Field-tunable quadruple-$Q$ states driven by momentum-space frustration

Abstract

Multiple-$Q$ magnetism in itinerant electron systems enables complex spin crystals and noncoplanar textures even in centrosymmetric settings. We study a minimal momentum-space spin model on a square lattice with four symmetry-related ordering wave vectors, including bilinear and biquadratic interactions under an out-of-plane magnetic field. Using simulated annealing, we obtain the field-dependent phase diagram and identify successive transitions among single-$Q$, double-$Q$, and multiple inequivalent quadruple-$Q$ states. The quadruple-$Q$ manifold exhibits rich internal structures: the states sharing the same wave vectors differ in phase locking, amplitude distribution, and noncoplanarity, leading to distinct real-space textures and scalar spin chirality patterns. Our results demonstrate that momentum-space frustration and biquadratic coupling provide an efficient route to stabilizing diverse quadruple-$Q$ spin crystals, offering a general framework for higher-order spin textures in centrosymmetric itinerant magnets.