Skyrmion clusters and chains in bulk and thin-layered cubic helimagnets

Abstract

Here, the author overviews the properties and the internal structure of isolated skyrmions within a cone phase of cubic helimagnets and chiral liquid crystals. The nascent conical state is shown to substantiate the attracting skyrmion-skyrmion interaction, which leads to the formation of skyrmion clusters and/or skyrmions chains. Whereas in bulk helimagnets skyrmion clusters exhibit the hexagonal arrangement of constituent skyrmions, in thin layers skyrmions align into polar skyrmion chains. Such behavior is thickness dependent and depends on the characteristic energy profiles.