Quantum mechanics

Magnetic field

Spin (aerodynamics)

Magnetization

Contrast (vision)

Antiferromagnetism

Materials science

Magnetic structure

Magnetic domain

Ferromagnetism

Thermodynamics

Physics

Mathematics

Optics

Domain (mathematical analysis)

Condensed matter physics

Mathematical analysis

Magnetic force microscope

Spintronics

Nature Communications

Non-collinear antiferromagnets are revealing many unexpected phenomena and they became crucial for the field of antiferromagnetic spintronics. To visualize and prepare a well-defined domain structure is of key importance. The spatial magnetic contrast, however, remains extraordinarily difficult to be observed experimentally. Here, we demonstrate a magnetic imaging technique based on a laser induced local thermal gradient combined with detection of the anomalous Nernst effect. We employ this method in one the most actively studied representatives of this class of materials-Mn3Sn. We demonstrate that the observed contrast is of magnetic origin. We further show an algorithm to prepare a well-defined domain pattern at room temperature based on heat assisted recording principle. Our study opens up a prospect to study spintronics phenomena in non-collinear antiferromagnets with spatial resolution.

Imaging and writing magnetic domains in the non-collinear antiferromagnet Mn3Sn