Magnetic dipole configurations on honeycomb lattices: effect of finite size and boundaries.

Artificial dipolar spin-ice patterns have attracted much attention recently because of their rich configurations and excitations in the form of Dirac strings connecting magnetic monopoles. We have analysed the distribution of excitations in the form of strings and vertices carrying magnetic charges Q=±3q in honeycomb artificial spin-ice patterns. Two types of patterns are compared, those that terminate with open hexagons and those with closed hexagons. The dipole configurations and the frequency of spin-ice rule-violating Q=±3q vertices depend slightly on the boundary conditions of the pattern. Upon rotation of the patterns by 2π in a coercive magnetic field of 500 Oe, complete reversibility of the charge and string configuration is observed.