Article published on imaging phase transitions in magnetic metamaterials
Interacting nanomagnets arranged on a kagome lattice allow us to get a glimpse in real space at how frustration manifests itself. Such a magnetic metamaterial displays behaviour beyond that of the individual nanomagnets. For example, different phases and the associated phase transitions have been predicted. Researchers have been able to capture such a phase transition by carefully tuning the interactions between the nanomagnets using nanoscale magnetic bridges.
The metamaterial consisted of very thin superparamagnetic nanomagnets, allowing the system to find thermal equilibrium. Videos of the switching nanomagnets could then be taken at different temperatures using a photoemission electron microscope. With Monte Carlo simulations, the precise nature of the phase transition could be established.
This work was carried out by the researchers at the Laboratory for Mesoscopic Systems, the Swiss Light Source, and the Paul Scherrer Institute.
Original Article:
Real-space imaging of phase transitions in bridged artificial kagome spin ice
K. Hofhuis, S. H. Skjærvø, S. Parchenko, H. Arava, Z. Luo, A. Kleibert, P. M. Derlet, L. J. Heyderman
external pageNature Physics18, 699–705 (2022)
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