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Field induced ordering in highly frustrated antiferromagnets
M E Zhitomirsky1, A Honecker, O A Petrenko
1Theoretische Physik, ETH Hönggerberg, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
Physical Review Letters
|October 6, 2000
Summary
External fields can induce spin ordering in frustrated magnets. Thermal fluctuations stabilize these states, creating spin gaps and magnetization plateaus in various lattice structures.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Magnetism
- Statistical Mechanics
Background:
- Highly frustrated magnets exhibit complex magnetic behaviors.
- External magnetic fields are crucial for tuning magnetic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To predict and analyze the induction of spin ordering in frustrated classical Heisenberg magnets by an external field.
- To investigate the role of thermal fluctuations in stabilizing these ordered states.
Main Methods:
- Analytical calculations for kagome, garnet, pyrochlore, and frustrated square lattices.
- Numerical Monte Carlo simulations for classical spins.
- Exact diagonalization for S = 1/2 quantum spins on a frustrated square lattice.
Main Results:
- Stabilization of collinear spin states by thermal fluctuations at specific field fractions (1/3 or 1/2 of saturation field).
- Identification of field-induced collinear states possessing a spin gap.
- Observation of magnetization plateaus in these field-induced states.
Conclusions:
- External fields can controllably induce ordered spin states in frustrated magnets.
- Thermal fluctuations play a key role in stabilizing these field-induced states.
- The resulting spin gap and magnetization plateaus offer potential for novel magnetic materials and devices.