Probing Ice-Rule-Breaking Transition in Dy₂Ti₂O₇ Thin Film by Proximitized Transport and Magnetic Torque

Journal Article · Mon Nov 17 00:00:00 UTC 2025 · Physical Review Letters

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/w6cq-2qwl · OSTI ID:3021301

Xing, Chengkun  ^[1]; Zhang, Han ^[1]; Noordhoek, Kyle  ^[1]; Zheng, Guoxin ^[2]; Chen, Kuan-Wen ^[2]; Horák, Lukas  ^[3]; Xin, Yan  ^[4]; Choi, Eun Sang ^[4]; Li, Lu  ^[2]; Zhou, Haidong  ^[1]; Liu, Jian  ^[1]

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1. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
2. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
3. Charles University, Prague (Czechia)
4. Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (United States)

While the spin-ice state of bulk pyrochlores such as Dy_2⁢Ti₂⁢O₇ and Ho_2⁢Ti₂⁢O₇ has been extensively studied in the past several decades due to its unique degenerate ground state and emergent monopole excitation, whether it survives in the thin-film form remains a mystery. The limited volume of the thin-film sample makes it challenging to study the intrinsic magnetic properties. Here, we synthesized 18-nm-thick Dy_2⁢Ti₂⁢O₇ thin film on yttria-stabilized zirconia with 9.5 mol% Y₂⁢O₃ substrate and capped it by a thin conductive Bi₂⁢Ir₂⁢O₇ layer and performed the proximitized magnetoresistance measurements. Our Letter found that the ice-rule-breaking phase transition survives but with a modified effective nearest-neighbor interaction (𝐽_eff=1.054 K) and distorted Ising spin axes (𝜀 = +0.051) compared to the bulk crystal. Furthermore, the results are supported by the simultaneously measured capacitive torque magnetometry. Our Letter demonstrates that proximitized transport is an effective tool for thin films of insulating frustrated magnets.

• Research Organization: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0020184; SC0020254
• OSTI ID: 3021301
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 21 Vol. 135; ISSN 1079-7114; ISSN 0031-9007
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English