Skyrmions, subatomic quasiparticles that could play a key
role in future spintronic technologies, have been observed for the first time
using x-rays. An international collaboration of researchers working at Berkeley
Lab’s Advanced Light Source (ALS) observed skyrmions in copper selenite
(Cu2SeO3) an insulator with multiferroic properties. The results not only hold
promise for ultracompact data storage and processing, but may also open up
entire new areas of study in the emerging field of quantum topology.