Print Email Facebook Twitter Field-driven metamorphoses of isolated skyrmions within the conical state of cubic helimagnets Title Field-driven metamorphoses of isolated skyrmions within the conical state of cubic helimagnets Author Leonov, Andrey O. (Hiroshima University; IFW Dresden) Pappas, C. (TU Delft RST/Neutron and Positron Methods in Materials; Hiroshima University) Smalyukh, Ivan I. (University of Colorado; Hiroshima University) Date 2021 Abstract Topologically stable field configurations appear in many fields of physics, from elementary particles to condensed matter and cosmology. Deep physical relations and common physical features of a large variety of very different solitonic states in these systems arise from the mathematical similarity of phenomenological equations.During the last decade, chiral liquid crystals and chiral magnets took on the role of model objects for the experimental investigation of topological solitons and the understanding of their nonsingular field configurations. This is directly related to the discovery of particle-like chiral skyrmions, which are also considered as promisingingredients for technological applications. Here we introduce a paradigm of facile skyrmionic networks with mutually orthogonal orientations of constituent isolated skyrmions. On the one hand, such networks are envisioned as a novel concept of spintronic devices based, e.g., on gapless skyrmion motion along each other, and are presumably responsible for precursor phenomena near the ordering temperatures of bulk cubic helimagnets. In particular, we demonstrate an interconversion between mutually orthogonal skyrmions: horizontal skyrmions may swirl into an intermediate spring-like state and subsequently squeeze into vertical skyrmions with both polarities. On the other hand, skyrmion tubes are considered as building blocks for particle-like states with more involved internal structure. A family of target-skyrmions, which includes a so far overlooked type with a multiple topological charge, is formed owing to the tendency to minimize the interaction energy between verticaland horizontal skyrmions. The conical phase serves as a suitable background for considered skyrmion evolution.It substantializes the attracting skyrmion-skyrmion interaction in the skyrmionic networks, shapes their internalstructure, and guides the nucleation processes. Alternatively, intricate textural changes of isolated skyrmionsresult not only in the structural deformations of a host conical state, but may lead to the formation of an exoticskyrmion order with pairs of merons being the core of the game. Generically, the fundamental insights providedby this work emphasize a three-dimensional character of skyrmion metamorphoses and can also be extended tothree-dimensional solitons, such as hopfions To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:839ce6b9-d9e6-4247-8dae-822b00537b78 DOI https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.104.064432 ISSN 2160-3308 Source Physical Review B, 104 (6) Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2021 Andrey O. Leonov, C. Pappas, Ivan I. Smalyukh Files PDF PhysRevB.104.064432.pdf 7.97 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:839ce6b9-d9e6-4247-8dae-822b00537b78/datastream/OBJ/view