Finite-Q magnetic instabilities are rather common in frustrated magnets. When the magnetic susceptibility is maximized at multiple-Q vectors related through lattice symmetry operations, exotic magnetic orderings such as vortex and skyrmion crystals may follow. Here we show that a periodic array of nonmagnetic impurities, which can be realized through charge density wave ordering, leads to a rich phase diagram featuring a plethora of chiral magnetic phases, especially when there is a simple relation between the reciprocal vectors of the impurity superlattice and the magnetic Q-vectors. We also investigate the effect of changing the impurity concentration or disturbing the impurity array with small quenched randomness. Alternative realizations of impurity superlattices are briefly discussed.

Motivated by the recent experimental observations on the skyrmion creation by cutting chiral stripe domains under a current drive [Jiang et al., Science 349, 283 (2015)], we study the mechanism of skyrmion generation by simulating the dynamics of stripe domains. Our theory for skyrmion generation is based on the fact that there are two half skyrmions attached to the ends of a stripe domain. These half skyrmions move due to the coupling between the skyrmion topological charge and current. As a consequence, the stripe domain is bent or stretched depending on the direction of motion of the half skyrmions. For a large current, skyrmions are created by chopping the stripe domains via strong bending or stretching. Our theory provides an explanation to the experiments and is supported by the new experiments. Furthermore, we predict that skyrmions can also be generated using a Bloch stripe domain under a spin transfer torque which can be realized in B20 compounds.

The symmetry of the pairing state in iron pnictide superconductor Ba1−xKxFe2As2 is still controversial. At optimal doping (x ≈ 0.4), it is very likely s-wave, but for x = 1 there are experimental and theoretical arguments for both s-wave and d-wave. Depending on the choice for x = 1, intermediate s + is and s + id states have been proposed for intermediate doping 0.4 < x < 1. In both states, the time reversal symmetry is broken and a spontaneous magnetization is allowed. In this work we study a spontaneous magnetization induced by a nonmagnetic defect in the s + is and s + id states by using a perturbation theory and numerical calculations for the Ginzburg-Landau free energy functional. We show that the angular dependence of the magnetization is distinct in these two states due to the difference in symmetry properties of the order parameters. Our results indicate a possible way to distinguish between the s + is and s + id pairing symmetries in multi-band superconductors.

Skyrmion lines in metallic chiral magnets carry an emergent magnetic field experienced by the conduction electrons. The inflow and outflow of this field across a closed surface is not necessarily equal, thus it allows for the existence of emergent monopoles. One example is a segment of skyrmion line inside a crystal, where a monopole and antimonopole pair is connected by the emergent magnetic flux line. This is a realization of Dirac string-like excitations. Here we study the dynamics of monopoles in chiral magnets under an electric current. We show that in the process of creation of skyrmion lines, skyrmion line segments are first created via the proliferation of monopoles and antimonopoles. Then these line segments join and span the whole system through the annihilation of monopoles. The skyrmion lines are destroyed via the proliferation of monopoles and antimonopoles at high currents, resulting in a chiral liquid phase. We also propose to create the monopoles in a controlled way by applying an inhomogenous current to a crystal. Remarkably, an electric field component in the magnetic field direction proportional to the current squared in the low current region is induced by the motion of distorted skyrmion lines, in addition to the Hall and longitudinal voltage. The existence of monopoles can be inferred from transport or imaging measurements.

In superconductors with strong coupling between superconductivity and elasticity manifested in a strong dependence of transition temperature on pressure, there is an additional contribution to inter-vortex interactions due to the strain field generated by vortices. When vortex lines are along the c axis of a tetragonal crystal, a square vortex lattice (VL) is favored at low vortex densities, because the vortex-induced strains contribution to the inter-vortex interactions is long range. At intermediate magnetic fields, the triangular lattice is stabilized. The triangular lattice evolves to the square lattice upon increasing magnetic field, and eventually the system locks to the square structure. We argue, however, that as magnetic field approaches the upper critical field H c2 the elastic inter-vortex interactions disappear faster than the standard London interactions, so that VL should return to the triangular structure. Our results are compared to VLs observed in the heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn 5 .