  Magnetic skyrmions are quasiparticles with non-trivial topology, envisioned
to play a key role in next-generation data technology while simultaneously
attracting fundamental research interest due to their emerging topological
charge. In chiral magnetic multilayers, current-generated spin-orbit torques or
ultrafast laser excitation can be used to nucleate isolated skyrmions on a
picosecond timescale. Both methods, however, produce randomly arranged
skyrmions, which inherently limits the precision on the location at which the
skyrmions are nucleated. Here, we show that nanopatterning of the anisotropy
landscape with a He$^+$-ion beam creates well-defined skyrmion nucleation
sites, thereby transforming the skyrmion localization into a deterministic
process. This approach allows to realize control of individual skyrmion
nucleation as well as guided skyrmion motion with nanometer-scale precision,
which is pivotal for both future fundamental studies of skyrmion dynamics and
applications.
