Blowing Polar Skyrmion Bubbles in Oxide Superlattices

Particle-like topological structures such as skyrmions and vortices have garnered ever-increasing interests due to the rich physical insights and potential broad applications. Here we discover the reversible switching between polar skyrmion bubbles and ordered vortex arrays in ferroelectric superlattices under an electric field, reminiscent of the Plateau-Raleigh instability in fluid mechanics. Electric field phase diagram is constructed, showing wide stability window for the observed polar skyrmions. This study is a demonstration for the computational design of ferroelectric topological structures and field-induced topological phase transitions.