Researchers at the London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN) and the Oxford and Cambridge scientists have made a major discovery in the field of Physics, where they say the Third Law of Thermodynamics could be again restored in the thin films of magnetic material spin ice.
According to the researchers, thin films of spin ice have astonishing properties that they believe may help further in the development of applications of magnetricity.
The Third Law of Thermodynamics is sometimes stated as follows, regarding the properties of systems in equilibrium at absolute zero temperature: The entropy of a perfect crystal, at absolute zero kelvin, is exactly equal to zero.
In the new study, the spin ice is an exception as the atomic magnetic moments stay in it in random in the approach to absolute zero. This results with its property of magnetic monopoles, which other materials lack.
Suggesting restoration of Third Law of Thermodynamics, researchers carried the experiment which found that at about half degree above absolute zero temperature the normal entropy was vanished from the spin ice.
“This result shows that we can use strain to drastically alter and control the spin ice state… It opens up new possibilities for the control and manipulation of magnetricity and magnetic monopoles in spin ice,” said lead author of the study Dr Laura Bovo, who works at UCL London Centre for Nanotechnology.
The findings of the study are published in the Nature Communications journal.
