Polymerization in magnetic metamaterials

TL;DR

This study explores how magnetic nanorings form polymer-like structures through dipolar interactions, revealing a thermodynamic transition and the emergence of topological configurations influenced by temperature.

Contribution

It introduces a numerical analysis of magnetic nanorings forming polymer-like bonds and topological structures, highlighting a thermodynamic transition related to bond formation and topology.

Findings

Formation of annuli clusters mediated by dipolar bonds

Identification of a critical temperature for bond formation

Observation of topological structures at specific temperatures

Abstract

We numerically study a mesoscopic system consisting of magnetic nanorings in the presence of thermal magnetization fluctuations. We find the formation of dipolar-field-mediated ``bonds" promoting the formation of annuli clusters, where the amount of bonds between two rings varies between zero and two. This system resembles the formation of polymers from artificial atoms, which in our case are the annuli and where the valency of the atom is set by the ring multipolarity. We investigate the thermodynamic properties of the resulting structures, and find a transition associated with the formation of the bonds. In addition, we find that the system has a tendency to form topological structures, with a distinct critical temperature in relation to the one for bond formation.