Measurement of charge and

current of magnetic
monopoles in spin ice
Mini Journal Club

Nature 461, 888-889 (15

October 2009)
 Introduction
• The existence of magnetic
monopoles has been predicted by
various particle theories including
grand unification theory and various
string theories.
• In 1931, Dirac showed that the
existence of magnetic monopoles
was consistent with maxwell´s
equations only if electric charge is
quantised.
• In September this year, two research
groups independently reported the
existence of magnetic monopoles in
spin ice systems .
 Basic Idea

• The authors map the fractionalization of magnetic dipoles in

a spin-ice material (Dy2Ti2O7) on to the ionization of
molecules in Onsager's theory.

• The dipoles can be viewed as 'molecules' consisting of

monopole–anti-monopole pairs.

• The monopoles and anti-monopoles play the part of ions

that can separate. This separation can be accelerated by
applying an external magnetic field.
 Spin Ice Systems
• Basically, systems where magnetic moments of ions remain
disordered even at lowest temperatures.
e.g. Dy2Ti2O7, Ho2Ti2O7

• Have a pyrochlore structure where Ho3+ ,Dy3+ form a lattice of

corner sharing tetrahedra.

• Minimum energy rule requires a “two-in two-out” configuration.

Science 16 October 2009:

Vol. 326. no. 5951, pp. 415
- 417
 a. In zero field, magnetic charges
occur as bound pairs,but some
dissociate to give a fluctuating
magnetic moment (green arrow).
b. The field energy competes with the
Coulomb potential to lower the
activation barrier to dissociation.
c. The application of a transverse
field causes dissociation as
charges are accelerated by the
field.
d.In the applied field, these charges
remain dissociated while more
bound pairs form to restore
Magnetic Wien effect, equilibrium. Magnetic moment
and the detection of fluctuations due to free charges
magnetic charge produce local fields that are
detected by implanted muons .

Nature 461, 888-889 (15

October 2009)
 Onsagers theory
Applies to any 3-dimensional coulombic fluid governed by two
successive equilibria.

Quasiparticle vacuum ≡ bound pair of charges ≡free charges

In the presence of an electric field, there is an increase in the rate of

dissociation and hence in the equilibrium constant

Assuming perfect symmetry between electricity and magnetism, the

same theory must apply to a a magnetic system.
ONSAGER’S
EQUATION
 b2 
K ( B ) =K (0) 1 +b + +..... 
 2  (1)

 µ0Q 3 E 
b = 2 
8π2
k 2
T 
 From K to a measurable magnetic
quantity
α2
K eq = n0 (2)
1 −α
n0 =nu +nb and α=
n
n
u

Following a disturbance, the relaxation of ∆α back to the equilibrium

value is determined by charge recombination. Onsager showed this
decay to be exponential with time constant
µ 0 = Magnetic permeability
να =2 µ0κ
κ = Magnetic conductivity
(3)

Thus, the following proportionalities can be established from equations (1),

(2) and (3):

ν α ( B) κ ( B) α ( B) K ( B) b b2
= = = = 1+ + + ... (4)
ν α (0) κ (0) α (0) K (0) 2 24
An increase in the equilibrium constant K with increase in magnetic field (Wien
effect) also corresponds to a change in the magnetic moment per unit forward
reaction

 ∂ ln K   ∂∆G 0
/ kT  δ µ/ δ α
  =  −  =
 ∂B T , N  ∂B T , N kT (5)

Again, using equation (1), we find that, in the weak field limit,

δµ kTb
= (6)
δ
α B
(6) Can be integrated to find a proportionality between finite changes ∆μ and ∆α

Thus, if an applied field is suddenly changed to a new value, then the slow
relaxation of the moment occurs at the same rate as that of the monopole
density
νµ α να
Combining this with Onsager‘s equation (1), the measurement of magnetic
moment fluctuation rate is equivalent to observing the magnetic conductivity and
it gives direct access to the magnetic Wien effect

ν µ ( B) κ ( B) b (7)
= = 1+
ν µ (0) κ (0) 2
Holds iff α
→ 0
∆α 
→ 0

The elementary magnetic charge may be derived from the initial slope and
intercept of the field dependence of νμ(B)

Q = 2.1223m T
* 1/ 3 2/3
(8)
 Measurement of magnetic fluctuation
rate
• Transverse field muon spin rotation is used to track the
fluctuation rate of magnetic moment

• In μSR, muons implanted into a sample precess around the

sum of the local and applied fields, and their decay
characteristics give information on the time dependence of
these fields.

• In the low temperature limit of slowly fluctuating

magnetisation, it is possible to setup the experiment, such
that the exponential decay rate of muons is proportional to
the characteristic rate of the magnetic moment.
 Resul
ts

The high temperature regime

follows the expected activated
behaviour as described in the text
(fit is shown as a solid line). At
low temperature, λ is proportional
to the monopole concentration. Its
rapid
increase above 0.3 K marks a
crossover from the regime of
weak screening to strong
screening of the charges.

Thus 0.07K < Temperature < 0.3K is the range where this
approximated Onsager’s theory is valid.
Represents a relatively large range in the physically
relevant parameter 1/T
Nature 461, 888-889 (15
October 2009)
 Onsager's theory is valid in
the regime Tlower < T <
Tupper where the magnetic
charges are unscreened.
The horizontal green line
marks the theoretical
prediction .

The value of elementary magnetic charge is found to be equal to

0 −1
5µB A

In agreement with the the value suggested by the Microscopic theory

of Spin ices
Nature 461, 888-889 (15
 Summary of results
• Establishes that MAGNETRICITY can be measured directly

• Proof of existence of magnetic charges in Dy2Ti2O7.

• Confirms that magnetic charges do interact with a

coulombic force and are accelerated by a magnetic field.

• Provides an instance of 3-dimensional fractionalisation.

• Similar results have also been published for Ho2Ti2O7 which

use polarised neutron scattering probes to prove
experimentally that magnetic charges do interact with a
coulomb potential.

THE
END
THANK
YOU