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Spin slush in an extended spin ice model

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  • Jeffrey G. Rau

    (University of Waterloo)

  • Michel J. P. Gingras

    (University of Waterloo
    Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
    Canadian Institute for Advanced Research)

Abstract

We present a new classical spin liquid on the pyrochlore lattice by extending spin ice with further neighbour interactions. We find that this disorder-free spin model exhibits a form of dynamical heterogeneity with extremely slow relaxation for some spins, while others fluctuate quickly down to zero temperature. We thus call this state spin slush, in analogy to the heterogeneous mixture of solid and liquid water. This behaviour is driven by the structure of the ground-state manifold which extends the celebrated two-in/two-out ice states to include branching structures built from three-in/one-out, three-out/one-in and all-in/all-out tetrahedra defects. Distinctive liquid-like patterns in the magnetic correlations serve as a signature of this intermediate range order. Possible applications to materials as well the effects of quantum tunnelling are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey G. Rau & Michel J. P. Gingras, 2016. "Spin slush in an extended spin ice model," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-7, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms12234
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12234
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