Phase transitions in few-monolayer spin ice films

Abstract

Magnetic spin ice compounds are described by vertex models, which have been intensively studied for their exotic properties. Bovo et al. show thin films of Dy2Ti2O7 have structures distinct from bulk crystals and come close to realising the two-dimensional F-model, which has an unusual ordering transition in the Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless class.