Macauley, G. M. , Paterson, G. W. , Li, Y., Macêdo, R. , McVitie, S. and Stamps, R. L. (2020) Tuning magnetic order with geometry: thermalisation and defects in two-dimensional artificial spin ices. Physical Review B, 101, 144403. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevB.101.144403)
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Abstract
Artificial spin ices are arrays of correlated nano-scale magnetic islands that prove an excellent playground in which to study the role of topology in critical phenomena. Here, we investigate a continuum of spin ice geometries, parameterised by rotation of the islands. In doing so, we morph from the classic square ice to the recently studied pinwheel geometry, with the rotation angle acting as a proxy for controlling inter-island interactions. We experimentally observe a transition from antiferromagnetic ordering in square ice to a slight preference for ferromagnetic vertices in the weakly-coupled pinwheel ice using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy on thermally annealed cobalt arrays. The rotation angle also affects the relaxation timescales for individual arrays, leading to varying degrees of thermalisation, and an apparent change in the nature of the defects supported: from one-dimensional strings in square ice to two-dimensional vortex-like structures for geometries similar to pinwheel. The numerical scaling of these quantities is consistent with that predicted by the Kibble-Zurek mechanism. Our results show how magnetic order in artificial spin ices can be tuned by changes in geometry and suggest the possibility of realising a truly frustrated ice-rule phase in two-dimensional systems. Furthermore, we demonstrate this system as a testbed to investigate out-of-equilibrium dynamics across phases.
| Item Type: | Articles |
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| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | McVitie, Professor Stephen and Stamps, Professor Robert and Macauley, Mr Gavin and Paterson, Dr Gary and Macedo, Dr Rair |
| Authors: | Macauley, G. M., Paterson, G. W., Li, Y., Macêdo, R., McVitie, S., and Stamps, R. L. |
| College/School: | College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy |
| Journal Name: | Physical Review B |
| Publisher: | American Physical Society |
| ISSN: | 1098-0121 |
| ISSN (Online): | 1550-235X |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2020 American Physical Society |
| First Published: | First published in Physical Review B 101:144403 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy |
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