Influence of surface effects on domain-wall topology through the thickness of van der Waals magnets

Determine how surface effects, such as oxidation at free surfaces or interfaces, influence the domain-wall topology throughout the full thickness of van der Waals magnets, including any depth-dependent modifications of the wall character.

Background

The topology of magnetic domain walls in Fe3GeTe2 and other van der Waals magnets is debated, with prior studies reporting Néel-type walls in Fe-deficient samples and Bloch-type walls in stoichiometric materials. Explanations for Néel character often invoke Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction arising from defects or from surface-related effects such as oxidation.

In this work, the authors observe very narrow domain walls and reproduce key features via micromagnetic simulations without invoking DMI, raising questions about how surface phenomena influence the internal wall structure. They explicitly highlight that it remains unknown how surface effects modify the domain-wall topology throughout the material thickness.