Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: A fundamental question in condensed matter physics concerns how topological electronic states are influenced by many-body correlations, and magnetic Weyl semimetals represent an important material platform to address this problem. However, the magnetic structures realized in these materials are limited, and in particular, no clear example of an undistorted helimagnetic state has been definitively identified. Here, we report clear evidence of a harmonic helimagnetic cycloid with an incommensurate magnetic propagation vector Q in the Weyl semimetal GdAlSi via resonant elastic X-ray scattering, including rigorous polarization analysis. This cycloidal structure is consistent with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction prescribed by the polar crystal structure of GdAlSi. Upon applying a magnetic field, the cycloid undergoes a transition to a novel multi-Q state. This field-induced, noncoplanar texture is consistent with our numerical spin model, which incorporates the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction and, crucially, anisotropic exchange interactions. The perfectly harmonic Weyl helimagnet GdAlSi serves as a prototypical platform to study electronic correlation effects in periodically modulated Weyl semimetals.
Source: Nature Communications
Authors: Ryota Nakano, Rinsuke Yamada, Juba Bouaziz, Maurice Colling, Masaki Gen, Kentaro Shoriki, Yoshihiro Okamura, Akiko Kikkawa, Ryo Misawa, Priya R. Baral, Shunsuke Kitou, Yuiga Nakamura, Hiroyuki Ohsumi, Yoshikazu Tanaka, Hajime Sagayama, Hironori Nakao, Yuki Ishihara, Kamini Gautam, Oscar Fabelo, Yasujiro Taguchi, Youtarou Takahashi, Masashi Tokunaga, Taka-hisa Arima, Yoshinori Tokura, Ryotaro Arita, Jan Masell, Satoru Hayami, Max Hirschberger
Institutions: The University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, SPring-8, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Institute of Materials Structure Science, Institut Laue-Langevin, Tokyo College, The University of Tokyo, Hokkaido University
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
Funders: Mazda Foundation, Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung, Yashima Environment Technology Foundation, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Hattori Hokokai Foundation, Inamori Foundation, Casio Science Promotion Foundation, Foundation for Promotion of Material Science and Technology of Japan, Murata Science Foundation, Yazaki Memorial Foundation for Science and Technology, Toray Science Foundation, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Science and Technology Agency, RIKEN, Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology
Awards: G1317963453, Electrical manipulation of Antiferromagnetic State in Non-centrosymmetric Systems, G1520943153, ナノスピン構造を用いた電子量子位相制御, G2521286739, 多極子表現論の深化と機能物性の開拓, G4216578419, Exploration of quantum transport induced by emergent magnetic field in real and momentum space, Non-linear Hall effect in polar Weyl semimetals, G5975547695, Beyond Skyrmionを目指す新しいトポロジカル磁性科学の創出, Emergent electromagnetic induction in magnetic conductors, G6194573138, Thermoelectric responses by fluctuation of charge order in correlated materials, EMERGENT FUNCTIONALITY AND INDUCTANCE OF NONCOLLINEAR QUANTUM MAGNETS, G6718509927, G7002964794, ナノスピン構造とトポロジーがつくる光スピントロニクス, G7412566031, TRR 360: Eingeschränkte Quantenmaterie, Elucidation of the mechanism behind the emergence of skyrmion phase with broken rotational symmetry in a square-lattice itinerant magnet, G7940449017, G842658433, G8886038035
OpenAlex ID: W7131069253