Coupled crystal and magnetic chiralities in determined by polarized x-ray and neutron scattering
Phys. Rev. B 113, 094409 – Published 6 March, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/mxdc-pl82
Abstract
We present a combined x-ray and polarized neutron scattering study on chiral, polar and magnetoeletric single crystals with different net crystal chiralities as characterized by optical methods. The rastering images taken with a micrometer-sized polarized x-ray beam unambiguously reveal the coupling of crystal and magnetic chiralities in a heterochiral sample. Spherical neutron polarimetry experiments on a different, structurally enantiopure sample—as evidenced by polarized x-ray scattering—reveal a homochiral magnetic spiral, which proves the stabilization of a single helical handedness despite the intertwined structural helices in the ferri-chiral crystal structure.
