  Magnetic skyrmions have great potential for developing novel spintronic
devices. The electrical manipulation of skyrmions has mainly relied on
current-induced spin-orbit torques. A recent theoretical model suggested that
the skyrmions could be more efficiently manipulated by surface acoustic waves
(SAW), an elastic wave that can couple with magnetic moment through
magnetoelastic effect. However, the directional motion of skyrmions that is
driven by SAW is still missing. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the motion
of N\'eel-type skyrmions in Ta/CoFeB/MgO/Ta multilayers driven by propagating
SAW pulses from on-chip piezoelectric transducers. Our results reveal that the
elastic wave with longitudinal and shear vertical displacements (Rayleigh wave)
traps skyrmions, while the shear horizontal wave effectively drives the motion
of skyrmions. In particular, a longitudinal motion along the SAW propagation
direction and a transverse motion due to topological charge, are observed and
further confirmed by our micromagnetic simulations. This work demonstrates a
promising approach based on acoustic waves for manipulating skyrmions, which
could offer new opportunities for ultra-low power spintronics.
