Abstract: Recently, we have experimentally and theoretically demonstrated that the DMI influences the magnetic microstructure of polycrystalline magnetic materials exhibiting a large defect density (e.g. grain boundaries or dislocations). Microstructural defects act as a source of additional local chiral interactions due to the symmetry breaking at the defect sites, similar to the intrinsic DMI in noncentrosymmetric crystals such as MnSi. The signature of this effect is a characteristic asymmetry in the polarized SANS cross section. In this continuation work, we will explore the temperature dependence of the defect-induced DMI by carrying out polarized SANS experiments on a 21nm-sized nanocrystalline terbium sample (with a high density of grain boundaries). The outcome of this experiment will contribute to our fundamental understanding of polarized magnetic SANS and one will learn on the defect-related DMI mechanism.

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