Creation of High-Density Néel Skyrmions by Interfacial-Proximity Engineering

Two-dimensional ferromagnets are promising for compact spintronic devices. However, their centrosymmetric structure inherently suppresses the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI), hindering the stabilization of chiral spin texture. Here, a tunable DMI induced by interface symmetry breaking in Fe₃GeTe₂/MoS₂ vdW heterostructures is reported. We find that the interfacial DMI stabilizes Néel-type skyrmions in Fe₃GeTe₂/MoS₂ heterostructures under zero magnetic field, with nucleation observed at 64 Oe and annihilation at 800 Oe via Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM). Skyrmion density peaks (~0.57 skyrmions/μm²) at a Fe₃GeTe₂ thickness of ~30 nm and decays beyond ~60 nm, indicating a finite penetration depth of the proximity effect. Such modulated DMI enables a stabilized nucleation of Néel type skyrmions, allowing for precise control over their density, revealed by Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. Thickness-dependent measurements confirm the interfacial origin of this stabilization. Skyrmion density reaches peak in thin Fe₃GeTe₂ layers and decays beyond ~60 nm, defining the finite penetration depth of the proximity effect. Micromagnetic simulations reproduce the field-dependent evolution of skyrmions, showing a strong correlation to interfacial DMI. First-principles calculations attribute this DMI to asymmetric charge redistribution and spin-orbit coupling at the heterointerface. This work establishes interface engineering as a universal strategy for stabilizing skyrmions in centrosymmetric vdW ferromagnets, offering a thickness-tunable platform for next-generation two-dimensional spintronic devices.