Emergent order in hydrodynamic spin lattices

Pedro J. Sáenz (), Giuseppe Pucci, Sam E. Turton, Alexis Goujon, Rodolfo R. Rosales, Jörn Dunkel and John W. M. Bush ()
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Pedro J. Sáenz: University of North Carolina
Giuseppe Pucci: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Sam E. Turton: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Alexis Goujon: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Rodolfo R. Rosales: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Jörn Dunkel: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
John W. M. Bush: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Nature, 2021, vol. 596, issue 7870, 58-62

Abstract: Abstract Macroscale analogues1–3 of microscopic spin systems offer direct insights into fundamental physical principles, thereby advancing our understanding of synchronization phenomena4 and informing the design of novel classes of chiral metamaterials5–7. Here we introduce hydrodynamic spin lattices (HSLs) of ‘walking’ droplets as a class of active spin systems with particle–wave coupling. HSLs reveal various non-equilibrium symmetry-breaking phenomena, including transitions from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic order that can be controlled by varying the lattice geometry and system rotation8. Theoretical predictions based on a generalized Kuramoto model4 derived from first principles rationalize our experimental observations, establishing HSLs as a versatile platform for exploring active phase oscillator dynamics. The tunability of HSLs suggests exciting directions for future research, from active spin–wave dynamics to hydrodynamic analogue computation and droplet-based topological insulators.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03682-1

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