Electric‐Current‐Assisted Nucleation of Zero‐Field Hopfion Rings
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Magnetic hopfions are 3D topological solitons - knotted, vortex-like spin configurations. In chiral magnets, hopfions can appear as isolated structures or they can be linked to skyrmion strings. Previous studies employed a sophisticated protocol and a special sample geometry to nucleate such hopfions linked to one or a few skyrmion strings. Here, we introduce an electric-current-assisted nucleation protocol that is simple and independent of the sample shape and size. The resulting hopfions exhibit extraordinary stability in the presence of both positive and negative magnetic fields, in perfect agreement with micromagnetic simulations. We also present a comprehensive framework for classifying hopfions, skyrmions, and merons by deriving the corresponding homotopy group.
Source: Advanced Materials
Authors: Xiaowen Chen, Dongsheng Song, Filipp N. Rybakov, Nikolai S. Kiselev, Long Li, Wen Shi, Rui Wu, Xuewen Fu, Olle Eriksson, Stefan Blügel, Rafal E. Dunin‐Borkowski, Haifeng Du, Fengshan Zheng
Institutions: State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Anhui University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Uppsala University, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, University of Science and Technology of China, Nankai University, Ernst Ruska Centre
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $6,070
OpenAlex ID: W7138205869