Publication

Atomic-scale visualization of three-dimensional magnetization vectors with competing spin Hamiltonian interactions

Beam-shift-based four-dimensional EMCD for atomic-scale 3D magnetization vector mapping
Beam-shift-based four-dimensional EMCD resolves three-dimensional magnetization vectors (Mx, My, Mz) from momentum-resolved EELS asymmetries in canted antiferromagnets.

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) spin textures underpin a wide range of magnetic phenomena, yet atomically resolving their vector orientations remains challenging. Here we report a beam-shift-based four-dimensional electron magnetic circular dichroism (EMCD) approach that enables quantitative 3D vector magnetometry at atomic-scale resolution. Applied to the canted antiferromagnet YFeO₃, the method maps competing spin Hamiltonian interactions—including super-exchange coupling, Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI), single-ion anisotropy (SIA), and Zeeman energy—across individual atomic planes, providing a direct experimental link between local atomic structure and magnetic energetics.

Reference

Wang, Q., Zhang, M., Bihlmayer, G. et al. Atomic-scale visualization of three-dimensional magnetization vectors with competing spin Hamiltonian interactions. Nature Nanotechnology (2026). Published 8 October 2026. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-026-02270-6.

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