In Situ Electric Field Skyrmion Creation in Magnetoelectric Cu2OSeO3

Exploiting additional degrees of freedom in solid-state materials may be the most-promising solution when approaching the quantum limit of Moore’s law for the conventional electronic industry. Recently discovered topologically nontrivial spin textures, skyrmions, are outstanding among such possibilities. However, the controlled creation of skyrmions, especially by electric means, remains a pivotal challenge in technological applications. Here, we report that skyrmions can be created locally via electric field in the magnetoelectric helimagnet Cu2OSeO3. Using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy, we successfully write skyrmions in situ from a helical-spin background. Our discovery is highly coveted because it implies that skyrmionics can be integrated into modern field effect transistor based electronic technology, in which very low energy dissipation can be achieved and, hence, realize a large step forward toward its practical applications.