Approaching the Topological Low-Energy Physics of the F Model in a Two-Dimensional Magnetic Lattice.

Abstract

We demonstrate that the physics of the F model can be approached very closely in a two-dimensional artificial magnetic system. Faraday lines spanning across the lattice and carrying a net polarization, together with chiral Faraday loops characterized by a zero magnetic susceptibility, are imaged in real space using magnetic force microscopy. Our measurements reveal the proliferation of Faraday lines and Faraday loops as the system is brought from low- to high-energy magnetic configurations. They also reveal a link between the Faraday loop density and icelike spin-spin correlations in the magnetic structure factor. Key for this Letter, the density of topological defects remains small, on the order of 1% or less, and negligible compared to the density of Faraday loops. This is made possible by replacing the spin degree of freedom used in conventional lattices of interacting nanomagnets by a micromagnetic knob, which can be finely tuned to adjust the vertex energy directly, rather than modifying the two-body interactions.