Spin Slush in an Extended Spin Ice Model

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:16050040,
            doi = {10.48660/16050040},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/16050040},
            author = {Rau, Jeff},
            keywords = {Condensed Matter},
            language = {en},
            title = {Spin Slush in an Extended Spin Ice Model},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2016},
            month = {may},
            note = {PIRSA:16050040 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }
          

Abstract

We introduce a new classical spin liquid on the pyrochlore lattice by extending spin ice with further neighbour interactions. 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 that extends the 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 defects. Distinctive liquid-like patterns in the spin correlations serve as a signature of this intermediate range order. Finally, we discuss possible applications to materials as well the effects of quantum tunneling.