Experimental Realization of the 1D Random Field Ising Model

TL;DR

This study experimentally demonstrates the 1D random field Ising model using artificial spin ice arrays, revealing how magnetic avalanches evolve and correlating microscopic structure with collective behavior.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental realization of the 1D RFIM in artificial spin ice, linking microscopic array structure to avalanche dynamics.

Findings

Good agreement with the 1D RFIM statistics

Microscopic structure inferred from macroscopic measurements

Method applicable to other avalanche systems

Abstract

We have measured magnetic-field-induced avalanches in a square artificial spin ice array of interacting nanomagnets. Starting from the ground state ordered configuration, we imaged the individual nanomagnet moments after each successive application of an incrementally increasing field. The statistics of the evolution of the moment configuration show good agreement with the canonical one-dimensional random field Ising model. We extract information about the microscopic structure of the arrays from our macroscopic measurements of their collective behavior, demonstrating a process that could be applied to other systems exhibiting avalanches.