2015 Volume 84 Issue 2 Pages 124-130
Skyrmions – a spin-swirling vortex-like object composed of 102-104 individual spins – can behave like a nanometric particle in a magnet by being protected by its topology. In magnets, e.g., MnSi, with a chiral (handedness) structure, the skyrmion crystal was observed by a neutron scattering experiment in 2009 and the individual skyrmion form was observed by an electron microscope in 2010. Since then, skyrmions have attracted intense attention, and studies are going on regarding the theories of creation mechanisms, the search for materials, and the design of devices. Of these, developments leading towards applications have been recently reported such as the realization of skyrmions at room temperature, the control of the size and helicity of skyrmions, the rectification effect of microwave, etc. In this article, starting from the fundamentals, we describe recent research on skyrmions, mentioning the perspective from the next-generation devices utilizing skyrmions.
