Higgs transitions of spin ice

TL;DR

This paper explores Higgs transitions in spin ice, an emergent gauge theory phenomenon, revealing new phases and continuous transitions that challenge traditional Landau theory, with implications for experiments and simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a gauge theory framework to describe phase transitions in spin ice, identifying possible phases and continuous transition scenarios beyond Landau paradigm.

Findings

Identification of various phases in spin ice via gauge theory

Prediction of continuous Higgs transitions in specific cases

Potential for experimental and numerical validation of critical behavior

Abstract

Frustrated magnets such as spin ice exhibit Coulomb phases, where correlations have power-law forms at long distances. Applied perturbations can cause ordering transitions which cannot be described by the usual Landau paradigm, and are instead naturally viewed as Higgs transitions of an emergent gauge theory. Starting from a classical statistical model of spin ice, it is shown that a variety of possible phases and transitions can be described by this approach. Certain cases are identified where continuous transitions are argued to be likely; the predicted critical behavior may be tested in experiments or numerical simulations.