Tunable critical correlations in kagome ice

TL;DR

This study investigates how critical correlations in kagome ice can be finely tuned through external parameters, revealing a topological and critical state with controllable properties via experiments and simulations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed experimental and theoretical analysis of the kagome ice Coulomb phase, demonstrating tunable critical correlations and topological features under various conditions.

Findings

Polarized neutron scattering confirms continuous algebraic correlation modification.

Numerical simulations accurately describe the experimental observations.

Finite size scaling reveals topological string defect effects.

Abstract

We present a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of the kagome ice Coulomb phase, that explores the fine tuning of critical correlations by applied field, temperature and crystal orientation. The continuous modification of algebraic correlations is observed by polarised neutron scattering experiments and is found to be well described by numerical simulations of an idealised model. We further clarify the thermodynamics of field tuned Kasteleyn transitions and demonstrate some dramatic finite size scaling properties that depend on how topological string defects wind around the system boundaries. We conclude that kagome ice is a remarkable example of a critical and topological state in a real system that may be subject to fine experimental control.