Magnetic order and energy-scale hierarchy in artificial spin ice

TL;DR

This study investigates how different energy scales influence magnetic order in thermalized artificial spin ice, revealing that activation energies significantly affect short-range magnetic correlations and demonstrating the system's potential as a model for energy-scale interplay.

Contribution

It introduces a method to control and analyze magnetic order in artificial spin ice by varying activation energies, highlighting the role of energy-scale hierarchy in magnetic phenomena.

Findings

Activation energies impact magnetic order and short-range correlations.

Artificial spin ice can be designed to define specific energy scales.

Distinct magnetic states are observed depending on energy-scale configurations.

Abstract

In order to explain and predict the properties of many physical systems, it is essential to understand the interplay of different energy-scales. Here we present investigations of the magnetic order in thermalised artificial spin ice structures, with different activation energies of the interacting Ising-like elements. We image the thermally equilibrated magnetic states of the nano-structures using synchrotron-based magnetic microscopy. By comparing results obtained from structures with one or two different activation energies, we demonstrate a clear impact on the resulting magnetic order. The differences are obtained by the analysis of the magnetic spin structure factors, in which the role of the activation energies is manifested by distinct short-range order. This demonstrates that artificial spin systems can serve as model systems, allowing the definition of energy-scales by geometrical design and providing the backdrop for understanding their interplay.