Controllable skyrmion chirality in ferroelectrics

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that ferroelectric nanodots can host skyrmions with controllable and switchable chirality, enabling new possibilities for information technology applications.

Contribution

It introduces methods to control and switch skyrmion chirality in ferroelectric nanodots, a novel capability in the field.

Findings

Skyrmions with controllable chirality are supported in ferroelectric nanodots.

Protocols for manipulating skyrmion types are devised.

Controlled chirality can be utilized in ferroelectric-based information technologies.

Abstract

Chirality, an intrinsic handedness, is one of the most intriguing fundamental phenomena in nature. Materials composed of chiral molecules find broad applications in areas ranging from nonlinear optics and spintronics to biology and pharmaceuticals. However, chirality is usually an invariable inherent property of a given material that cannot be easily changed at will. Here, we demonstrate that ferroelectric nanodots support skyrmions the chirality of which can be controlled and switched. We devise protocols for realizing control and efficient manipulations of the different types of skyrmions. Our findings open the route for controlled chirality with potential applications in ferroelectric-based information technologies.