Skyrmion engineering with origami

Skyrmion structures play critical roles in solid-state systems involving electric, magnetic and optical fields. Previous approaches to the study of skyrmions have involved specific structures in magnetic materials, liquid crystals and polymers in addition to two-dimensional arrays used for electrical control. These methods have encountered limitations and constraints on both the microscopic and macroscopic scales related to the physical properties of materials. The present work demonstrates an origami-based skyrmion engineering strategy that suggests a new approach to topological control. This technique utilizes the unique properties of orientational origami, combining polarization techniques with rotationally symmetric, periodically folded designs. This strategy enables the transformation of flat sheets into three-dimensional structures with associated changes in optical topology, similar to the characteristics of proteins. Topological defects such as misalignments and dislocations in folded molecularly oriented sheets lead to the creation of skyrmion clusters at boundaries having different orientational orders. The strategy reported herein involves the construction of unique metamaterial platforms that could provide new applications for twistronics in graphene and photonic crystals.