From skyrmions to hopfions

(Nanowerk News) Exotic magnetic structures such as skyrmions are also known as topological particles. Because they can be easily moved within a crystal, they are envisioned as promising information carriers of the future. Scientists from Jülich, China and Sweden have now created and observed for the first time a stable hopfion in a solid – a nanoscale sized, 3D magnetic object related to skyrmions. Because of their intricate texture and three-dimensionality, the discovery of hopfions breaks open a new research direction of 3D magnetic particles that may lead to novel…