Raman Shifts in Two-Dimensional van der Waals Magnets Reveal Magnetic Texture Evolution

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals magnets comprise rich physics that can be exploited for spintronic applications. We investigate the interplay between spin-phonon coupling and spin textures in a 2D van der Waals magnet by combining magneto-Raman spectroscopy with cryogenic Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. We find that when stable skyrmion bubbles are formed in the 2D magnet, a field-dependent Raman shift can be observed, and this shift is absent for the 2D magnet prepared in its ferromagnetic state. Correlating these observations with numerical simulations that take into account field-dependent magnetic textures and spin-phonon coupling in the 2D magnet, we associate the Raman shift to field-induced modulations of the skyrmion bubbles and derive the existence of inhomogeneity in the skyrmion textures over the film thickness.