CM In the literature: open

Can quantum skyrmions be observed in a real magnet?

In plain words

When a skyrmion is only a few atoms wide and made of small spins, quantum mechanics should matter, letting it tunnel or form superpositions. No experiment has yet shown a skyrmion behaving quantum mechanically.

Precise statement

In a frustrated or chiral magnet with $S=1/2\ \text{or}\ 1$ local moments and skyrmion radius of a few lattice spacings, detect a quantum signature: macroscopic quantum tunneling of skyrmion number or position (a temperature-independent switching rate below a crossover T*), or quantized internal modes inconsistent with classical spin dynamics. An answer is an identified system and measurement giving T* and the rate.

What would settle it

Low-temperature single-skyrmion switching or spectroscopy showing a temperature-independent rate below T*, compared with quantum many-body calculations.