Topological strength of magnetic skyrmions

TL;DR

This paper analytically models magnetic skyrmions with various topological numbers, revealing their physical properties and proposing experimental methods to measure their topological strength.

Contribution

It introduces a new analytical approach to model skyrmions with complex topological features and discusses experimental implications for measuring their topological strength.

Findings

Modeling of skyrmions with large transition regions

Identification of two-peak skyrmion number density

Proposal for experimental measurement of topological strength

Abstract

We deal with magnetic structures that attain integer and half-integer skyrmion numbers. We model and solve the problem analytically, and show how the solutions appear in materials that engender distinct, very specific physical properties, and use them to describe their topological features. In particular, we found a way to model skyrmion with a large transition region correlated with the presence of a two-peak skyrmion number density. Moreover, we run into the issue concerning the topological strength of a vortex-like structure and suggest an experimental realization, important to decide how to modify and measure the topological strength of the magnetic structure.