Topologicl magneitc solitons, such as Skyrmion, Antiskyrmion and Bobber，are particle-like localized magnetic strutures，and have been experimentally observed in magents. They are of nanoscale sizes, stable due to topological protected and easy controllable, thus believed to hold promising for future high density/high speed/ultralow eneryg cost spintroinc devices.

Magnetic skyrmions and antiskyrmions have opposite topological charges and can be analogous to particles and antiparticles, such as electrons and positrons in high-energy physics. When these two particles meet, they are able to annihilate with each other. However, the stablity of magnetic skyrmions and antiskyrmionss each require different requirements for crystal symmetry. It is generally believed that magnetic skyrmions exist stably in isotropic chiral magnets, such as cubic iron-germanium alloys, and antiskyrmions widely exist in anisotropic chiral magnets, such as tetragonal Hessler alloys, and cannot stably exist in isotropic iron-germanium alloys. Therefore, no experiments have reported the annihilation of these two particles to date.

Recently, a collaboration team led by the research group of Dr. Zheng Fengshan from Spin-X Institute, South China University of Technology, the research group of Dr. Nikolai S. Kiselev from the Advanced Simulation Institute, Jülich Research Center in Germany, and the research group of Professor Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski from Ernst Ruska-Centre, Jülich Research Center in Germany. The team used high spatial resolution transmission electron microscopy magnetic imaging techniqueto discover antiskyrmions, magnetic skyrmion- antiskyrmion pairs (particle-antiparticle pairs) and its annihilation. Relevant results were published in Nature PhysicS, Skyrmion–antiskyrmionpair creation and annihilation in acubic chiral magnet. This article is also highlighted in Nature Physics News/Views by an article, Magnetic skyrmions unwrapped.

Article link：https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-022-01638-4

Relevant news：https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/962885

Nature Physics News/Views:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-022-01674-0

Left: Micromagnetic simulations of Skyrmion、Antiskyrmion、Skyrmion-antiskyrmion Pair和Skyrmionium; Right: Experimental Lorentz TEM observation of the above states in an FeGe thin film.