Materials manipulation with optical skyrmions

Optical skyrmions, that is particle-like optical fields with topologically protected polarization textures (such as Néel-, Bloch-, and anti-skyrmions), have been recently demonstrated. Optical skyrmions have been utilized in advanced applications such as free-space communications under turbulent conditions, and super-resolution microscopy with sub-wavelength spatial resolution. Optical skyrmions are also potentially expected to offer new fundamental physics via exotic light matter interactions, however, they are still in their infancy as a research topic, and there are few reports of the interaction between optical skyrmions and materials. We herein report on the first demonstration of direct imprint of the topologically protected polarization textures of optical Néel-, Bloch-, and anti-skyrmions onto a material, as a surface relief in azo-polymers. This demonstration strongly evidences the capacity of the optical skyrmions for new approaches to materials manipulation.