Microscopic evidence of spin-driven multiferroicity and topological spin textures in monolayer NiI2

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Wang, Haitao, Jiang, Tianxing, Pan, Weiyi, Wang, Xu, Wang, Hongyu, Tian, Junchao, Li, Lianchuang, Zhao, Dongming, Zhang, Qingle, Wang, Chenxi, Yang, Ying, Xiang, Hongjun, Xu, Changsong, Feng, Donglai, Zhang, Tong
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Wang, Haitao
Jiang, Tianxing
Pan, Weiyi
Wang, Xu
Wang, Hongyu
Tian, Junchao
Li, Lianchuang
Zhao, Dongming
Zhang, Qingle
Wang, Chenxi
Yang, Ying
Xiang, Hongjun
Xu, Changsong
Feng, Donglai
Zhang, Tong
author_facet Wang, Haitao
Jiang, Tianxing
Pan, Weiyi
Wang, Xu
Wang, Hongyu
Tian, Junchao
Li, Lianchuang
Zhao, Dongming
Zhang, Qingle
Wang, Chenxi
Yang, Ying
Xiang, Hongjun
Xu, Changsong
Feng, Donglai
Zhang, Tong
contents In type II multiferroics, noncollinear spin textures are expected to induce electric polarization directly, leading to strong magnetoelectric coupling. Realizing such spin driven multiferroicity in two-dimensional systems, and elucidating the interplay between local spins and electric polarization, are of both fundamental and technological importance. Here, using vectorial spin polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, we investigated the spin-driven multiferroicity in monolayer NiI2 at atomic scale. We identify a canted spin-spiral state with fully determined spin rotation plane, accompanied by a 2Q charge modulation. At spin spiral domain walls, we discover topological spin textures that composed of meron/antimeron pairs. These textures are associated with distinct charge pattern and notable band shifts, indicating local bound charges induced by variations of ferroelectricity at domain wall. Our observations are well captured by a realistic spin model incorporating Kitaev interactions and generalized spin-current model of type II multiferroicity. The findings provide microscopic evidence of spin-driven multiferroicity in an extreme 2D system and establish a platform for low-dissipation, electric-field control of topological spin textures.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_06959
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Microscopic evidence of spin-driven multiferroicity and topological spin textures in monolayer NiI2
Wang, Haitao
Jiang, Tianxing
Pan, Weiyi
Wang, Xu
Wang, Hongyu
Tian, Junchao
Li, Lianchuang
Zhao, Dongming
Zhang, Qingle
Wang, Chenxi
Yang, Ying
Xiang, Hongjun
Xu, Changsong
Feng, Donglai
Zhang, Tong
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Materials Science
In type II multiferroics, noncollinear spin textures are expected to induce electric polarization directly, leading to strong magnetoelectric coupling. Realizing such spin driven multiferroicity in two-dimensional systems, and elucidating the interplay between local spins and electric polarization, are of both fundamental and technological importance. Here, using vectorial spin polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, we investigated the spin-driven multiferroicity in monolayer NiI2 at atomic scale. We identify a canted spin-spiral state with fully determined spin rotation plane, accompanied by a 2Q charge modulation. At spin spiral domain walls, we discover topological spin textures that composed of meron/antimeron pairs. These textures are associated with distinct charge pattern and notable band shifts, indicating local bound charges induced by variations of ferroelectricity at domain wall. Our observations are well captured by a realistic spin model incorporating Kitaev interactions and generalized spin-current model of type II multiferroicity. The findings provide microscopic evidence of spin-driven multiferroicity in an extreme 2D system and establish a platform for low-dissipation, electric-field control of topological spin textures.
title Microscopic evidence of spin-driven multiferroicity and topological spin textures in monolayer NiI2
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.06959