“Color-Tripole Ice” as a Conceptual Generalization of “Spin Ice”
Figure 3
The first two-dimensional model of color-tripole ice—continuation. (a) Two type-II Y-intersections of color-swap lines introduced in the color-tripole crystal state of Figure 2(a), the left one is rightward pointing, and the right one, leftward pointing. (b) An example of a ground state containing six Y-intersections, all type-II in this example. (c) At the two ending downward-triangles of a finite-length color-swap line (shaded darker grey), two color-charged elementary excitations appear, which can combine to color neutrality. (d) At the three outwardly-ending downward-triangles of a finite-sized Y-intersection (shaded darker grey), three color-charged elementary excitations appear that can combine to color neutrality.
