Optical skyrmion lattices accelerating in a free-space mode

Generation of optical skyrmionic beams, topological textures of polarization Stokes vector in the transverse plane and propagating at the longitudinal axis provide a versatile platform for topologically nontrivial optical informatics and light–matter interactions. However, their acceleration along curved trajectories is to be studied. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate the first accelerating skyrmion lattices conveyed by Airy structured light, characterized by topologically stable skyrmion textures with self-acceleration along parabolic trajectories. We quantify topological stability using the Skyrme number N_sk, where |N_sk| = 1 represents an ideal skyrmion. Our experiments demonstrate that the skyrmion unit cell can maintain a Skyrme number |N_sk| > 0.9 within a propagation range of ±1.22 z_R (z_R is the Rayleigh length) upon parabolic acceleration. Notably, the meron structure remains |N_sk| stable within 0.5 ± 0.02 over a significantly extended range of ±3.06 z_R. Our work provides a new potential carrier for topologically robust information distribution, particle sorting, and manipulation.