Generation and manipulation of skyrmions and other topological spin structures with rare metals

Skyrmions are nano-scale quasi-particles with topological protection, which have potential applications in next-generation spintronics-based information storage. Numerous papers have been published to review various aspects of skyrmions, including physics, materials and applications. However, no review paper has focused on rare metals which play important roles in nucleating and manipulating skyrmions and other topological states. In this paper, various roles of rare metals have been classified and summarized, which can tune Curie temperature ( T C ), Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI), magnetocrystalline anisotropy, Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida (RKKY) interaction and four-spin interaction so as to trigger the generation of skyrmions and other topological spin structures. The materials covered include typical B20 crystals, various layered systems with interfacial DMI, frustrated materials, antiferromagnets, ferrimagnets, two-dimensional (2D) materials, etc. In addition, the rare-earth (RE) permanent magnets can provide an energy barrier and enrich the dynamic behaviors of skyrmions, which has also been reviewed. Graphical abstract