Unexpected Phenomenology in Particle-Based Ice Absent in Magnetic Spin Ice

Journal Article · 19 April 2018 · Physical Review Letters

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.167205 · OSTI ID:1477722

Nisoli, Cristiano  ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

While particle-based ices are often considered essentially equivalent to magnet-based spin ices, the two differ essentially in frustration and energetics. Here, we show that at equilibrium particle-based ices correspond exactly to spin ices coupled to a background field. In trivial geometries, such a field has no effect, and the two systems are indeed thermodynamically equivalent. In other cases, however, the field controls a richer phenomenology, absent in magnetic ices, and still largely unexplored: ice rule fragility, topological charge transfer, radial polarization, decimation induced disorder, and glassiness.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1477722
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1433751
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-17-29430; PRLTAO
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 120, Issue 16; ISSN 0031-9007
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English