Absence of an equilibrium ferromagnetic spin-glass phase in three dimensions

Using ground state computations, we study the transition from a spin glass to a ferromagnet in 3D spin glasses when changing the mean value of the spin-spin interaction. We find good evidence for replica symmetry breaking up until the critical value where ferromagnetic ordering sets in, and no ferromagnetic spin glass phase. This phase diagram is in conflict with the droplet/scaling and mean field theories of spin glasses. We also find that the exponents of the second order ferromagnetic transition do not depend on the microscopic Hamiltonian, suggesting universality of this transition.     

Zero temperature phase diagram of the ferromagnetic Kondo lattice

We study numerically the one-dimensional ferromagnetic Kondo lattice, a model widely used to describe nickel and manganese perovskites. Due to the competition between double and super-exchange, we find a region where the formation of magnetic islands induces a charge-ordered state. This ordering is present even in the absence of any inter-site Coulomb repulsion and presents an insulating gap associated to the charge structure. We study the metal–insulator transition induced by a magnetic field which removes simultaneously both charge and spin orderings. This new mechanism should be taken into account in theories of charge ordering involving spin degrees of freedom.     

Geometric aspects of ordering phenomena

A macroscopic system prepared in a disordered phase and quenched across a second-order phase transition into an ordered phase undergoes a coarsening process whereby it orders locally in one of the equilibrium states. The study of the evolution of the morphology of the ordered structures in two dimensions has recently unveiled two interesting and generic features. On the one hand, the dynamics first approach a critical percolating state via the growth of a new lengthscale and satisfying scaling properties with respect to it. The time needed to reach the critical percolating state diverges with the system size, though more weakly than the equilibration time. On the other hand, once the critical percolating structures established, the geometrical and statistical properties at larger scales than the one established by the usual dynamic growing length remain the ones of critical percolation. These observations are common to different microscopic dynamics (single spin flip, local and non-local spin exchange, voter) in pure or weakly disordered systems. We discuss these results and we refer to the relevant publications for details.     

Stability of the spontaneous quantum Hall state in the triangular Kondo-lattice model

We study the behavior of the quarter-filled Kondo-lattice model on a triangular lattice by combining a zero-temperature variational approach and finite-temperature Monte Carlo simulations. For intermediate coupling between itinerant electrons and classical moments S(j), we find a thermodynamic phase transition into an exotic spin ordering with uniform scalar spin chirality and (S(j))=0. The state exhibits a spontaneous quantum Hall effect. We also study how its properties are affected by the application of an external magnetic field.     

Tapping spin glasses and ferromagnets on random graphs.

We consider a tapping dynamics, analogous to that in experiments on granular media, on spin glasses and ferromagnets on random thin graphs. Between taps, zero temperature single spin flip dynamics takes the system to a metastable state. Tapping corresponds to flipping simultaneously any spin with probability p. This dynamics leads to a stationary regime with a steady state energy E(p). We analytically solve this dynamics for the one-dimensional ferromagnet and +/-J spin glass. Numerical simulations for spin glasses and ferromagnets of higher connectivity are carried out; in particular, we find a novel first order transition for the ferromagnetic systems.     

Orbitally driven spin-singlet dimerization in S=1 La4Ru2O10

Using x-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Ru-L2,3 edge we reveal that the Ru4+ ions remain in the S=1 spin state across the rare 4d-orbital ordering transition and spin-gap formation. We find using local spin density approximation + Hubbard U band structure calculations that the crystal fields in the low-temperature phase are not strong enough to stabilize the S=0 state. Instead, we identify a distinct orbital ordering with a significant anisotropy of the antiferromagnetic exchange couplings. We conclude that La4Ru2O10 appears to be a novel material in which the orbital physics drives the formation of spin-singlet dimers in a quasi-two-dimensional S=1 system.     

Spin Squeezing and Fixed-Point Bifurcation

We study spin squeezing and classical bifurcation in a nonlinear bipartite system. We show that the spin squeezing can be associated with a fixed-point bifurcation in the classical dynamics, namely, it acts as an indicator of the classical bifurcation. For the ground state of a system with coupled giant spins, we find that the spin squeezing achieves its minimum value near the bifurcation point. We also study the dynamics of the spin squeezing, for an initial state corresponding to one of the fixed point, we find that in the stable regime, the spin squeezing exhibits periodic oscillation and always persists except at some fixed times, while in the unstable regime, the periodic oscillation phenomenon disappears and the spin squeezing survives for a short time. Finally, we show that the mean spin squeezing, which is defined to be averaged over time, attains its minimum value near the bifurcation point.     

Spin Squeezing and Fixed-Point Bifurcation

We study spin squeezing and classical bifurcation in a nonlinear bipartite system. We show that the spin squeezing can be associated with a fixed-point bifurcation in the classical dynamics, namely, it acts as an indicator of the classical bifurcation. For the ground state of a system with coupled giant spins, we find that the spin squeezing achieves its minimum value near the bifurcation point. We also study the dynamics of the spin squeezing, for an initial state corresponding to one of the fixed point, we find that in the stable regime, the spin squeezing exhibits periodic oscillation and always persists except at some fixed times, while in the unstable regime, the periodic oscillation phenomenon disappears and the spin squeezing survives for a short time. Finally, we show that the mean spin squeezing, which is defined to be averaged over time, attains its minimum value near the bifurcation point.     

Raman scattering study of anomalous spin, charge, and lattice dynamics in the charge-ordered phase of Bi1-xCaxMnO3 (x > 0.5)

We report an inelastic light scattering study of the effects of charge ordering on the spin, charge, and lattice dynamics of Bi1-xCaxMnO3 (x>0.5). We find that charge ordering results in anomalous phonon behavior, such as the appearance of "activated" modes. More significantly, however, the transition to the charge-ordered phase results in the appearance of a quasielastic scattering response with the symmetry of the spin-chirality operator ( T(1g)); this scattering response is thus indicative of magnetic or chiral spin fluctuations in the antiferromagnetic charge-ordered phase.     

Critical and multicritical behavior in the Ising–Heisenberg universality class

Critical behavior of three-dimensional classical frustrated antiferromagnets with a collinear spin ordering and with an additional twofold degeneracy of the ground state is studied. We consider two lattice models, whose continuous limit describes a single phase transition with a symmetry class differing from the class of non-frustrated magnets as well as from the classes of magnets with non-collinear spin ordering. A symmetry breaking is described by a pair of independent order parameters, which are similar to order parameters of the Ising and O(N) models correspondingly. Using the renormalization group method, it is shown that a transition is of first order for non-Ising spins. For Ising spins, a second order phase transition from the universality class of the O(2) model may be observed. The lattice models are considered by Monte Carlo simulations based on the Wang–Landau algorithm. The models are a ferromagnet on a body-centered cubic lattice with the additional antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between next-nearest-neighbor spins and an antiferromagnet on a simple cubic lattice with the additional interaction in layers. We consider the cases N = 1, 2, 3 and in all of them find a first-order transition. For the N = 1 case we exclude possibilities of the second order or pseudo-first order of a transition. An almost second order transition for large N is also discussed.     

Quench dynamics in spin crossover induced by high pressure

In this paper we have analytically and numerically studied the dynamics of spin crossover induced by time-dependent pressure. We show that quasi static pressure, with a slow dependence on time, yields a spin crossover leading to transition from the high spin (HS) quantum system state to the low spin (LS) state. However, quench dynamics under shockwave load are more complicated. The final state of the system depends on the amplitude and pulse velocity, resulting in the mixture of the HS and LS states.     

Modulated spin liquid: a new paradigm for URu2Si2

We argue that near a Kondo breakdown critical point, a spin liquid with spatial modulations can form. Unlike its uniform counterpart, we find that this occurs via a second order phase transition. The amount of entropy quenched when ordering is of the same magnitude as for an antiferromagnet. Moreover, the two states are competitive, and at low temperatures are separated by a first order phase transition. The modulated spin liquid we find breaks Z4 symmetry, as recently seen in the hidden order phase of URu2Si2. Based on this, we suggest that the modulated spin liquid is a viable candidate for this unique phase of matter.     

Spin and charge ordering in three-leg ladders in oxyborates

We study the spin ordering within the three-leg ladders present in the oxyborate Fe3O2BO3 consisting of localized classical spins interacting with conduction electrons (one electron per rung). We also consider the competition with antiferromagnetic superexchange interactions to determine the magnetic phase diagram. Besides a ferromagnetic phase we find (i) a phase with ferromagnetic rungs ordered antiferromagnetically and (ii) a zigzag canted spin ordering along the legs. We also determine the induced charge ordering within the different phases and the interplay with lattice instability. Our model is discussed in connection with the lattice dimerization transition observed in this system, emphasizing the role of the magnetic structure.     

Quantum criticality of quantum speed limit for a two-qubit system in the spin chain with the Dzyaloshinsky–Moriya interaction

We study the quantum speed limit (QSL) time of a two-qubit system coupled to a spin–chain model with the Dzyaloshinsky–Moriya (DM) interaction. For the Bell state coupled to the Ising model or anisotropic XY model, we find that there is a prominent corresponding relationship between the QSL time and quantum phase transition in a spin–chain environment with larger scale, and the DM interaction can strongly enhance or suppress the response relation. Remarkably, when the surrounding environment is set to the XX model, the DM interaction makes it possible for us to witness the quantum phase transition by the local anomalous enhancement of the QSL time near the critical point. In addition, our analyses indicate that the entanglement can speed-up the system evolution in many-body environment.     

A Generalized Voter Model on Complex Networks

We study a generalization of the voter model on complex networks, focusing on the scaling of mean exit time. Previous work has defined the voter model in terms of an initially chosen node and a randomly chosen neighbor, which makes it difficult to disentangle the effects of the stochastic process itself relative to the network structure. We introduce a process with two steps, one that selects a pair of interacting nodes and one that determines the direction of interaction as a function of the degrees of the two nodes and a parameter α which sets the likelihood of the higher degree node giving its state to the other node. Traditional voter model behaviors can be recovered within the model, as well as the invasion process. We find that on a complete bipartite network, the voter model is the fastest process. On a random network with power law degree distribution, we observe two regimes. For modest values of α, exit time is dominated by diffusive drift of the system state, but as the high-degree nodes become more influential, the exit time becomes dominated by frustration effects dependent on the exact topology of the network.     

Dynamical ordering of driven stripe phases in quenched disorder

We examine the dynamics and stripe formation in a system with competing short and long-range interactions in the presence of both an applied dc drive and quenched disorder. Without disorder, the system forms stripes organized in a labyrinth state. We find that, when the disorder strength exceeds a critical value, an applied dc drive can induce a dynamical stripe ordering transition to a state that is more ordered than the originating undriven, unpinned pattern. We show that signatures in the structure factor and transport properties correspond to this dynamical reordering transition, and we present the dynamic phase diagram as a function of strengths of disorder and dc drive.     

Disordered magnets

The physics of strongly-disordered magnets and especially that of spin glass is an example of a scientific problem whose ideas and results are widely used in different and sometimes rather distant areas (up to biology, for example). This is the consequence of the paradoxical nature of the main question of this problem: how does ordering occur in systems which do not possess any apparent order at all? In other words, how can one find genuine (but hidden) internal variables which determine dynamics (and thermodynamics) of the system having no macroscopic order parameter. From the theoretical point of view the “generic model” for such a system is the well-studied model of spin glass with infinite-range interaction. The next necessary step is to understand the degree of applicability of the results of infinite-range models to real systems. Further there are a number of phenomena which are completely beyond the frame of this model and are governed by fluctuation effects. The theory of fluctuation phenomena in strongly disordered magnets is at the very beginning of its development. In this report we discuss some relevant problems which have been well studied. In the case of genuine spin glasses the problems are as follows: whether there exists a thermodynamic phase transition to the spin glass phase and how does it occur? What is the physics of non-exponential relaxation far above the transition point? Further there are a number of systems belonging to the spin glass universality class (in the sense of phase-transition theory) but possessing the same sort of short-range order. We consider the following spin glasses with local helical order (for example, the diluted yttriumbased alloys YEr, YDy); amorphous magnets with strong random-axis anisotropy; disordered magnets with strong dipolar interaction. We discuss mainly the structures of low-temperature phases in these systems.     

CaCrO3: an anomalous antiferromagnetic metallic oxide

Combining infrared reflectivity, transport, susceptibility, and several diffraction techniques, we find compelling evidence that CaCrO3 is a rare case of a metallic and antiferromagnetic transition-metal oxide with a three-dimensional electronic structure. Local spin density approximation calculations correctly describe the metallic behavior as well as the anisotropic magnetic ordering pattern of C type: The high Cr valence state induces via sizable pd hybridization remarkably strong next-nearest-neighbor interactions stabilizing this ordering. The subtle balance of magnetic interactions gives rise to magnetoelastic coupling, explaining pronounced structural anomalies observed at the magnetic ordering transition.     

Voter model on Sierpinski fractals

We investigate the ordering of voter model on fractal lattices: Sierpinski Carpets and Sierpinski Gasket. We obtain a power-law ordering in all cases, but the dynamics is found to differ significantly for finite and infinite ramification order of investigated fractals.     

Ising Model on an Infinite Ladder Lattice

In this paper we propose an Ising model on an infinite ladder lattice, which is made of two infinite Ising spin chains with interactions. It is essentially a quasi-one-dimessional Ising model because the length of the ladder lattice is infinite, while its width is finite. We investigate the phase transition and dynamic behavior of Ising model on this quasi-one-dimessional system. We use the generalized transfer matrix method to investigate the phase transition of the system. It is found that there is no nonzero temperature phase transition in this system. At the same time, we are interested in Glauber dynamics. Based on that, we obtain the time evolution of the local spin magnetization by exactly solving a set of master equations.