Emergent order in hydrodynamic spin lattices.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 34349289.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41586-021-03682-1 and PMC identifier 7426053.
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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.