Correctors for the Neumann problem in thin domains with locally periodic oscillatory structure

In this paper we are concerned with convergence of solutions of the Poisson equation with Neumann boundary conditions in a two-dimensional thin domain exhibiting highly oscillatory behavior in part of its boundary. We deal with the resonant case in which the height, amplitude and period of the oscillations are all of the same order which is given by a small parameter $\epsilon > 0$. Applying an appropriate corrector approach we get strong convergence when we replace the original solutions by a kind of first-order expansion through the Multiple-Scale Method.Comment: to appear in Quarterly of Applied Mathematic

Magnetic monopole and string excitations in a two-dimensional spin ice

We study the magnetic excitations of a square lattice spin-ice recently produced in an artificial form, as an array of nanoscale magnets. Our analysis, based upon the dipolar interaction between the nanomagnetic islands, correctly reproduces the ground-state observed experimentally. In addition, we find magnetic monopole-like excitations effectively interacting by means of the usual Coulombic plus a linear confining potential, the latter being related to a string-like excitation binding the monopoles pairs, what indicates that the fractionalization of magnetic dipoles may not be so easy in two dimensions. These findings contrast this material with the three-dimensional analogue, where such monopoles experience only the Coulombic interaction. We discuss, however, two entropic effects that affect the monopole interactions: firstly, the string configurational entropy may loose the string tension and then, free magnetic monopoles should also be found in lower dimensional spin ices; secondly, in contrast to the string configurational entropy, an entropically driven Coulomb force, which increases with temperature, has the opposite effect of confining the magnetic defects.Comment: 8 pages. Accepted by Journal of Applied Physics (2009

Error estimates for a Neumann problem in highly oscillating thin domains

In this work we analyze convergence of solutions for the Laplace operator with Neumann boundary conditions in a two-dimensional highly oscillating domain which degenerates into a segment (thin domains) of the real line. We consider the case where the height of the thin domain, amplitude and period of the oscillations are all of the same order, given by a small parameter $\epsilon$. We investigate strong convergence properties of the solutions using an appropriate corrector approach. We also give error estimates when we replace the original solutions for the second-order expansion through the Multiple-Scale Method