Monte Carlo simulations of the kagome lattice with magnetic dipolar interactions

The results of extensive Monte Carlo simulations of classical spins on the two-dimensional kagome lattice with only dipolar interactions are presented. In addition to revealing the six-fold degenerate ground state, the nature of the finite-temperature phase transition to long-range magnetic order is discussed. Low temperature states consisting of mixtures of degenerate ground state configurations separated by domain walls can be explained as a result of competing exchange-like and shape anisotropy-like terms in the dipolar coupling. Fluctuations between pairs of degenerate spin configurations are found to persist well into the ordered state as the temperature is lowered until locking in to a low-energy state.