Magnetic skyrmions in nanostructures of non-centrosymmetric materials

Magnetic skyrmions are a new form of magnetic ordering with whirlpool-like spin arrangements. These topologically protected particlelike spin textures were first discovered a decade ago in noncentrosymmetric magnetic materials. Confining magnetic skyrmions in nanostructures leads to interesting fundamental insights into skyrmion stability and could provide convenient platforms for potential practical applications of skyrmions in information storage technology. In this research update, we summarize the recent advances on studying magnetic skyrmions in nanostructures of skyrmion hosting noncentrosymmetric materials (especially the B20 materials) made via bottom-up synthesis or top-down fabrication methods. We discuss various real space imaging (such as Lorentz transmission electron microscopy or electron holography) or physical property measurement (such as magneto-transport) techniques that have been used to observe and detect these exotic magnetic domains in both nanostructure and bulk samples, which have proven to be critical to fully understanding them. We examine the importance of morphology and dimensionality of skyrmion hosting materials in stabilizing isolated magnetic skyrmions in confined geometry and their benefits for implementation in magnetic memory applications. We further highlight the need for experiments that allow the skyrmion research to move from the fundamental physics of skyrmion formation and dynamics to more applied device studies and eventual applications, such as the all-electrical writing and reading of skyrmions needed for skyrmion-based high density magnetic memory storage devices.