Abstract
The idea that some systems could have a thermodynamically large number of accessible ground states was presaged in the work of Pauling on ice (Pauling, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1945) [1]. With the advent of spin glasses, the methodology for describing ground states changed dramatically, and in particular it was realized that the observed slow dynamics were due to relaxation among a large number of nearly degenerate ground states. Now the accepted wisdom is that both 'frustration', as well as structural disorder, is responsible for spin glass behavior. However, well before spin-glasses were identified as a distinct class of systems, it had been appreciated that even for structurally periodic systems, bond frustration could lead to a thermodynamically large number of states. There is now a well-defined class of magnets which display effects of macroscopic ground state degeneracy. This class of geometrically frustrated magnets presents some new paradigms with which to view condensed matter systems - marginal underconstraint and downward shift of spectral weight. We discuss possible realizations of these phenomena in both in spin ice and also outside the context of local-moment magnetism.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 290-295 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Physica B: Condensed Matter |
Volume | 280 |
Issue number | 1-4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 11 2000 |
Event | 22nd International Conference on Low Temperature Physics (LT-22) - Helsinki, Finl Duration: Aug 4 1999 → Aug 11 1999 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering