Dynamically re-entrant skyrmion phase in oscillating magnetic fields

We address a central open question in driven topological matter by investigating the nonequilibrium response of a two-dimensional magnet with Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interactions subjected to a periodically oscillating magnetic field. Using extensive Monte Carlo simulations, we uncover a dynamically re-entrant skyrmion phase that emerges within a finite window of field amplitudes and bias fields, sandwiched between the conventional skyrmion and polarized ferromagnetic phases. This phase has no equilibrium counterpart and originates from an imbalance between skyrmion creation and annihilation over a single field cycle, leading to a reversal of the period-averaged topological charge. We show that the re-entrant phase exists only in the dynamic response regime where the system can follow the drive, and is suppressed at higher driving frequencies. Our results establish periodic driving as a nonequilibrium control parameter for stabilizing and reversing skyrmion topology.