Resonant x-ray scattering from a skyrmion lattice*

Topologically protected novel phases in condensed matter systems are a current research topic of tremendous interest due to both the unique physics and their potential in device applications. Skyrmions are a topological phase that in magnetic systems manifest as a hexagonal lattice of spin-swirls. We report the first observation of the skyrmion lattice using resonant soft x-ray diffraction in Cu$_2$OSeO$_3$, a cubic insulator that exhibits degenerate helical magnetic structures along <100> axes in zero magnetic field. Within a narrow window of temperature and applied magnetic field we observed the six fold symmetric satellite peaks due to the skyrmion lattice around the (001) lattice Bragg peak. As a function of incident photon energy a rotational splitting of the skyrmion satellite peaks was observed that we ascribe to the two Cu sublattices of Cu$_2$OSeO$_3$, with different magnetically active orbitals. The splitting implies a long wavelength modulation of the skyrmion lattice.