Unusual Coulomb phase physics in the arctic square ice

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Coraux, Johann, Rougemaille, Nicolas
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Coraux, Johann
Rougemaille, Nicolas
author_facet Coraux, Johann
Rougemaille, Nicolas
contents The square ice is a two-dimensional spin liquid hosting a Coulomb phase physics. When constrained under specific boundary conditions, the so-called domain-wall boundary conditions, a phase separation occurs that leads to the formation of a spin liquid confined within a disk surrounded by magnetically ordered regions. Here, we numerically characterize the ground-state properties of this spin liquid, coined the arctic square ice in reference to a phenomenon known in statistical mechanics. Our results reveal that both the vertex distributions and the magnetic correlations are inhomogeneous within the liquid region, and they exhibit a radial dependence. If these properties resemble those of the conventional square ice close to the center of the disk, they evolve continuously as the disk perimeter is approached. There, the spin liquid orders. As a result, pinch points, signaling the presence of algebraic spin correlations, coexist with magnetic Bragg peaks in the magnetic structure factor computed within the disk. The arctic square ice thus appears as an unconventional Coulomb phase sharing common features with a fragmented spin liquid, albeit on a charge-neutral vacuum.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_16526
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Unusual Coulomb phase physics in the arctic square ice
Coraux, Johann
Rougemaille, Nicolas
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Disordered Systems and Neural Networks
The square ice is a two-dimensional spin liquid hosting a Coulomb phase physics. When constrained under specific boundary conditions, the so-called domain-wall boundary conditions, a phase separation occurs that leads to the formation of a spin liquid confined within a disk surrounded by magnetically ordered regions. Here, we numerically characterize the ground-state properties of this spin liquid, coined the arctic square ice in reference to a phenomenon known in statistical mechanics. Our results reveal that both the vertex distributions and the magnetic correlations are inhomogeneous within the liquid region, and they exhibit a radial dependence. If these properties resemble those of the conventional square ice close to the center of the disk, they evolve continuously as the disk perimeter is approached. There, the spin liquid orders. As a result, pinch points, signaling the presence of algebraic spin correlations, coexist with magnetic Bragg peaks in the magnetic structure factor computed within the disk. The arctic square ice thus appears as an unconventional Coulomb phase sharing common features with a fragmented spin liquid, albeit on a charge-neutral vacuum.
title Unusual Coulomb phase physics in the arctic square ice
topic Strongly Correlated Electrons
Disordered Systems and Neural Networks
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.16526