# Measuring the Formation Energy Barrier of Skyrmions in Zinc Substituted Cu$_2$OSeO$_3$

## TL;DR

This study uses small angle neutron scattering to measure the energy barrier for skyrmion formation in zinc-substituted Cu2OSeO3, revealing slow, thermally activated formation dynamics and an energy barrier of approximately 1.57 eV.

## Contribution

First measurement of skyrmion formation energy barrier in zinc-substituted Cu2OSeO3 using time-resolved SANS, showing thermally activated formation with long timescales.

## Key findings

- Skyrmion lattice stability region expands with electric field.
- Skyrmion formation times are significantly longer than destruction times.
- Formation times increase exponentially with decreasing temperature.

## Abstract

We report small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements of the skyrmion lattice in (Cu$_{0.976}$Zn$_{0.024}$)$_2$OSeO$_3$ under the application of an electric field. These measurements show an expansion of the skyrmion lattice stability region with electric field similar to that seen in pristine Cu$_2$OSeO$_3$. Furthermore, using time-resolved SANS, we observe the slow formation of skyrmions after an electric or magnetic field is applied, which has not been observed in pristine Cu$_2$OSeO$_3$ crystals. The measured formation times are dramatically longer than the corresponding skyrmion destruction times after the external field is removed, and increase exponentially from 100~s at 52.5~K to 10,000~s at 51.5~K. This thermally activated behaviour indicates an energy barrier for skyrmion formation of 1.57(2)~eV, the size of which demonstrates the huge cost for creating these complex chiral objects.