Matthias Menzel, Yuriy Mokrousov, Robert Wieser, Jessica E. Bickel, Elena Vedmedenko, Stefan Blügel, Stefan Heinze, Kirsten von Bergmann, André Kubetzka, Roland Wiesendanger
Vector spin chirality is one of the fundamental characteristics of complex magnets. For a one-dimensional spin-spiral state it can be interpreted as the handedness, or rotational sense of the spiral. Here, using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, we demonstrate the occurrence of an atomic-scale spin-spiral in finite individual bi-atomic Fe chains on the (5x1)-Ir(001) surface. We show that the broken inversion symmetry at the surface promotes one direction of the vector spin chirality, leading to a unique rotational sense of the spiral in all chains. Correspondingly, changes in the spin direction of one chain end can be probed tens of nanometers away, suggesting a new way of transmitting information about the state of magnetic objects on the nanoscale.
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http://arxiv.org/abs/1204.2650
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