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Trapping of Micro Particles in Nanoplasmonic Optical Lattice
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Observation of moiré plasmonic skyrmion clusters
Lan Zhang1, Lipeng Wan1,2, Weimin Deng1
1School of Physics and Material Science & Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Photodetectors, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
Science Advances
|December 17, 2025
Summary
Researchers created novel moiré plasmonic skyrmion clusters, enabling unprecedented topological control over light. This breakthrough allows for precise detection of nanostructure alignment deviations using optical skyrmions.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Plasmonics
- Topological Matter Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Skyrmions, topological defects with stable properties, have been observed in electromagnetic waves.
- Previous research on optical skyrmions near surfaces was limited to elementary types with fixed skyrmion numbers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and demonstrate the concept of moiré plasmonic skyrmion clusters.
- To achieve topological control over optical skyrmions using twistronics engineering.
- To utilize these clusters for detecting nanostructure alignment.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling and experimental realization of moiré plasmonic skyrmion clusters.
- Utilizing twistronics engineering in plasmonic nanostructures.
- Investigating periodic and quasi-periodic optical skyrmions.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the creation of nested multiskyrmions forming large optical skyrmion clusters.
- Achieved significant topological control over optical skyrmions.
- Observed rapid inversion of optical skyrmion number in misaligned nanostructures, explained by a lattice model.
Conclusions:
- Moiré plasmonic skyrmion clusters offer a new platform for topological light manipulation.
- The topological change in these clusters acts as a sensitive indicator for relative alignment deviations in composite nanostructures.
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