Symmetric and asymmetric exchange stiffnesses of transition-metal thin film interfaces in external electric field

Highlights: • Symmetric and asymmetric exchange stiffness constants are modified by an electric field. • The trend underlying the exchange stiffness modifications is linked to orbital magnetism. • An application of electric field is a promising approach to manipulate magnetic textures. The electric-field induced modifications of the symmetric and asymmetric exchange stiffness constants for the prototypical transition-metal system of a Co monolayer on Pt(111) are determined from first-principles calculated total energy differences of spin-spiral states with oppositely rotating magnetizations in the presence of both the external field and spin–orbit coupling. The trend underlying the modifications is shown to be linked to orbital magnetism. The results demonstrate that an electric field may be a promising approach to manipulate macroscopically magnetic textures.