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Probing Ice-Rule-Breaking Transition in Dy2Ti2O7 Thin Film by Proximitized Transport and Magnetic Torque

Chengkun Xing1, Han Zhang1, Kyle Noordhoek1, Guoxin Zheng2, Kuan-Wen Chen2, Lukas Horák3, Yan Xin4, Eun Sang Choi4, Lu Li2 et al.

Haidong Zhou1,* and Jian Liu1,†

  • *Contact author: hzhou10@utk.edu
  • †Contact author: jianliu@utk.edu

Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 216702 – Published 17 November, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/w6cq-2qwl

Abstract

While the spin-ice state of bulk pyrochlores such as Dy2Ti2O7 and Ho2Ti2O7 has been extensively studied in the past several decades due to its unique degenerate ground state and emergent monopole excitation, whether it survives in the thin-film form remains a mystery. The limited volume of the thin-film sample makes it challenging to study the intrinsic magnetic properties. Here, we synthesized 18-nm-thick Dy2Ti2O7 thin film on yttria-stabilized zirconia with 9.5  mol% Y2O3 substrate and capped it by a thin conductive Bi2Ir2O7 layer and performed the proximitized magnetoresistance measurements. Our Letter found that the ice-rule-breaking phase transition survives but with a modified effective nearest-neighbor interaction (Jeff=1.054  K) and distorted Ising spin axes (ε=+0.051) compared to the bulk crystal. The results are supported by the simultaneously measured capacitive torque magnetometry. Our Letter demonstrates that proximitized transport is an effective tool for thin films of insulating frustrated magnets.

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