Magnetic Ordering in a Geometrically Distorted Shuriken Lattice

The frustrated Shuriken lattice, also known as the square-kagome lattice, offers a platform to study magnetic order arising from geometric frustration [1,2]. Here, we realize the Shuriken lattice using artificial spin ice, consisting of patterned circular nanomagnets, tens of nanometers in diameter, fabricated from [Co/Pt]₁₂ multilayers, with out-of-plane anisotropy and antiferromagnetic lateral interactions. A demagnetization protocol was employed to accommodate inter-element interactions and drive the system toward low-energy configurations, and the resulting microstates were imaged using magnetic force microscopy. By systematically tuning the lattice anisotropy via geometric distortion, we observe distortion-driven changes in the magnetic configurations, enabling a mapping of different regimes of the phase space and providing insights into the interplay between frustration and order.



[1] H. Nakano and T Sakai, J. Phys. Soc. Japan 82, 083709 (2013)

[1] R. Pohle, O. Benton, and L. D. C. Jaubert, Phys. Rev B 94, 014429 (2016).