Emergence of zero-field non-synthetic single and catenated antiferromagnetic skyrmions in thin films

Abstract Antiferromagnetic (AFM) skyrmions are envisioned as ideal localized topological magnetic bits in future information technologies. In contrast to ferromagnetic (FM) skyrmions, they are immune to the skyrmion Hall effect [1,2], might offer potential terahertz dynamics [3,4] while being insensitive to external magnetic fields and dipolar interactions. Although observed in synthetic AFM structures [5] and as complex meronic textures in intrinsic AFM bulk materials [6,7], their realization in non-synthetic AFM films, of crucial importance in racetrack concepts, has been elusive. Here, we unveil their presence in a row-wise AFM Cr film deposited on PdFe bilayer grown on fcc Ir(111) surface. Using first principles, we demonstrate the emergence of single and strikingly interpenetrating catenated AFM skyrmions, which can co-exist with the rich inhomogeneous exchange field, including that of FM skyrmions, hosted by PdFe. Besides the identification of an ideal platform of materials for intrinsic AFM skyrmions, we anticipate the uncovered knotted solitons to be promising building blocks in AFM spintronics.