Optical polarization skyrmionic fields in free space

We construct optical beams in free space with robust skyrmionic structures their polarization fields, both the electric spin vector for near-circular fields and direction near-linear Bloch (spiral) N\'eel (hedgehog) textures. These are made possible by spin-orbit coupling of tightly-focused nonparaxial optics as applied to higher-order Full-Poincar\'e beams, well standing-wave configurations comprising forwards- backwards-propagating waves. Our constructions show near-uniform circular linear polarizations, providing a high degree topological protection absence nonlinear interactions.