A Three Dimensional Kasteleyn Transition: Spin Ice in a [100] Field

Ludovic D. C. Jaubert (1) , J. T. Chalker (2) , Peter C.W. Holdsworth (1) , R. Moessner (2, 3)

1 Phys-ENS - Laboratoire de Physique de l'ENS Lyon
2 Theoretical Physics, Oxford University
3 MPI-PKS - Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme

We examine the statistical mechanics of spin-ice materials with a [100] magnetic field. We show that the approach to saturated magnetisation is, in the low-temperature limit, an example of a 3D Kasteleyn transition, which is topological in the sense that magnetisation is changed only by excitations that span the entire system. We study the transition analytically and using a Monte Carlo cluster algorithm, and compare our results with recent data from experiments on Dy2Ti2O7.

Keywords: frustrated magnetism; spin ice; Kasteleyn transition; quantum phase transition

Domains: Physics [physics]; Condensed Matter [cond-mat]; Statistical Mechanics [cond-mat.stat-mech]; Physics [physics]; Condensed Matter [cond-mat]; Disordered Systems and Neural Networks [cond-mat.dis-nn]; Physics [physics]; Condensed Matter [cond-mat]; Strongly Correlated Electrons [cond-mat.str-el]

Ludovic D. C. Jaubert, J. T. Chalker, Peter C.W. Holdsworth, R. Moessner. A Three Dimensional Kasteleyn Transition: Spin Ice in a [100] Field. Physical Review Letters, 2008, 100, pp.067207. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.067207⟩. ⟨ensl-00176660v4⟩