Direct observations of spin fluctuations in spin-hedgehog-anti-hedgehog lattice states in MnSi_1-xGe_x (x=0.6 and 0.8) at zero magnetic field

The helimagnetic compounds MnSi_1-xGe_x show the three-dimensional multiple-q order as referred to as spin-hedgehog-anti-hedgehog (SHAH) lattice. Two representative forms of SHAH are cubic-3q lattice with q ⟨100⟩ and tetrahedral-4q lattice with q ⟨111⟩, which show up typically for x=1.0- 0.8 and for x=0.6, respectively. Here, we have investigated the spin fluctuations in the MnSi_1-xGe_x polycrystalline samples with x=0.6 and 0.8 by using the time-of-flight (TOF) neutron inelastic scattering and MIEZE-type neutron spin echo techniques to elucidate the microscopic origin of the unconventional Hall effect in the SHAH lattice states. This research is motivated by the observation of a sign change in the unconventional Hall resistivity as a function of temperature [Y. Fujishiro et al., Nat. Comm. 10, 1059 (2019)]. The present results reveal the correspondences between the temperature ranges where the positive Hall resistivity and spin fluctuations are observed. These results agree well with the theoretical model of the conduction electrons scattered by the fluctuating spin clusters with a non-zero average of sign-biased scalar spin chirality as a mechanism of the positive Hall resistivity [H. Ishizuka and N. Nagaosa, Sci. Adv. 4, eaap9962 (2018)].