Stability of skyrmions on curved surfaces in the presence of a magnetic field

TL;DR

This paper investigates how magnetic fields influence the stability and structure of skyrmions on curved surfaces, revealing that external fields can destabilize, fractionalize, or stabilize skyrmions and vortices depending on their strength and orientation.

Contribution

The study provides a continuum model analysis of skyrmion stability on curved surfaces under various magnetic field configurations, highlighting the effects of field strength and direction.

Findings

Weak fields generate fractional skyrmions.

Strong magnetic fields produce stable 2π-skyrmions with reduced widths.

Azimuthal fields stabilize vortex states on curved surfaces.

Abstract

We study the stability and energetics associated to skyrmions appear- ing as excitations on curved surfaces. Using a continuum model we show that the presence of cylindrically radial and azimuthal fields destabilizes the skyrmions that appear in the absence of an external field. Weak fields generate fractional skyrmions while strong magnetic fields yield stable 2{$\pi$}- skyrmions, which have their widths diminished by the magnetic field strength. Under azimuthal fields vortex appear as stable states on the curved surface.