SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have discovered a new physical principle that allows for the formation of skyrmions, tiny magnetic vortices, without the specialized conditions previously thought necessary. This finding opens new pathways for developing next-generation, ultra-low-power information storage devices that could address the rising energy demands of artificial intelligence.
KAIST said Thursday that a research team led by Professor Kim Se-kwon from the Department of Physics has theoretically demonstrated that swirling magnetic structures can form naturally through the interaction between magnetism and atomic lattices. This interaction, known as magnetoelastic coupling, suggests that skyrmions can be implemented in a much wider range of magnetic materials than once believed.
Skyrmions are microscopic swirls of magnetic spin that are highly stable and significantly smaller than the magnetic domains used in current hard drives. Because of these properties, they are considered a primary candidate for spintronic devices, which could offer information storage densities hundreds of times higher than existing technology while consuming minimal power.
Until now, scientists believed that forming skyrmions required specific, complex environments, such as structural asymmetry in the crystal or strong spin-orbit coupling. However, the KAIST team proved that the universal phenomenon of magnetoelastic coupling—where the magnetic state and the arrangement of atoms influence each other—is sufficient to create these structures.
The team's research shows that when this coupling becomes strong enough, the naturally aligned state of a magnet becomes unstable and transitions into a new ordered pattern. This process results in a "chiral spin texture" where skyrmions and antiskyrmions are arranged in a repeating array, accompanied by simultaneous lattice distortion.
"This study demonstrates that magnetic structures like skyrmions can form even without specific, specialized interactions," Professor Kim Se-kwon explained. "It is particularly significant as it suggests the possibility of implementing these structures in two-dimensional magnetic materials, which are currently a major focus of global research."
The study, featuring Dr. Go Kyoung-chun as the lead author, was published in the prestigious physics journal Physical Review Letters on February 11, 2026.
(Reference Information)
Journal/Source: Physical Review Letters
Title: Magnetoelastic Coupling-Driven Chiral Spin Textures: A Skyrmion-Antiskyrmion-like Array
Link/DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/5csz-pw7x
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