Monopole density and antiferromagnetic domains in spin-ice iridates

We investigate the behaviour of rare earth pyrochlore iridates Dy2Ir2O7 and Ho2Ir2O7 using dipolar Monte Carlo simulations for the rare earth moments and an effective representation of the Ir moments as local fields [Lefrancois et al, Nat. Comm. 2017]. We study in particular how the magnetisation and defect population respond to externally applied magnetic fields along different crystal directions. We uncover an intriguing interplay between the rare earth moments and the correlations in the underlying Ir moments, and we comment on their possible relevance to experimental results.