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The influence of spin-orbit coupling on the hybridization of Shiba states in dimers of magnetic atoms on superconducting surfaces remains unexplored. Here, the authors reveal a splitting of atomic Shiba orbitals due to spin-orbit coupling and broken inversion symmetry in antiferromagnetically coupled Mn dimers placed on a Nb(110) surface.

Stabilization of skyrmions is one of the key issues in skyrmion-based spintronics. Here the authors demonstrate that hydrogenation can induce the formation of skyrmions in iron thin films, which provides an alternative way to tailor skyrmion states in low-dimensional magnetic materials.

Spin chains on superconductors have been studied as a possible venue for zero-energy Majorana bound states at the ends of the chain. Here, the authors observe localized end states in antiferromagnetic chains, but rule out a Majorana origin of these states by perturbing them with local defects.

The recent discovery of magnetism in van der Waals materials down to the monolayer seemed to challenge a long-established theoretical result, the Mermin-Wagner theorem, which states that long-range magnetic order does not exist in two dimensions with short-range interactions. Here, using state of the art computational methods, the authors show that for sample sizes usually used in experiments, the exchange interactions at the finite size is enough to stabilize magnetic order without any magnetic anisotropy.

Majorana modes are highly non-local quantum states with non-Abelian exchange statistics, which localize at the two ends of finite-size 1D topological superconductors of sufficient length. By precisely positioning magnetic atoms on a superconducting surface, their interaction is tailored such that the precursors of Majorana modes are simultaneously observed on both ends of linear atomic chains.

The anticipated role of skyrmions as information carriers in spintronic devices has, so far, been hampered by difficulties in controlling their motion. Here, the authors use micromagnetic simulations to investigate the temperature-dependent motion of skyrmions, revealing that their magnetic texture reacts on two different time scales.

Arranging magnetic impurities in a conventional superconductor may give rise to Majorana bound states and their manipulation. Here, the authors report focusing and long-range extension of magnetic bound states from magnetic impurities embedded below a superconducting La(0001) surface.

Thermal diffusion of skyrmions in a non-flat energy landscape shows exponential temperature dependence and can be used for a reshuffler device with potential application in probabilistic computing.

Majorana bound states have possible application in future quantum computing devices but designing platforms where their signatures can be isolated and observed is challenging. Here, the authors report experimental and calculated data for the screening of proximitized superconducting and strongly spin-orbit-coupled heavy metal layers with atom-by-atom assembled chains of transition metal atoms with the aim of realizing large topological minigaps protecting Majorana edge modes.