Spin-ice behavior of three-dimensional inverse opal-like magnetic structures: micromagnetic simulations

TL;DR

This study uses micromagnetic simulations to demonstrate that three-dimensional inverse opal-like magnetic structures exhibit spin-ice behavior, aligning well with experimental hysteresis data and representing a novel realization of 3D artificial spin ice.

Contribution

The paper introduces the first micromagnetic simulation-based evidence that ferromagnetic inverse opal-like structures can serve as three-dimensional artificial spin ice.

Findings

Spin-ice behavior observed in inverse opal-like structures.

Simulation results match experimental hysteresis curves.

Structures can be divided into Ising-like elements.

Abstract

We perform micromagnetic simulations of the magnetization distribution in inverse opal-like structures (IOLS) made from ferromagnetic materials (nickel and cobalt). It is shown that the unit cell of these complex structures, whose characteristic length is approximately 700 nm, can be divided into a set of structural elements some of which behave like Ising-like objects. A spin-ice behavior of IOLS is observed in a broad range of external magnetic fields. Numerical results describe successfully the experimental hysteresis curves of the magnetization in Ni- and Co-based IOLS. We conclude that ferromagnetic IOLS can be considered as the first realization of three-dimensional artificial spin ice.