Symmetry considerations on the magnetization process of the Heisenberg model on the pyrochlore lattice
arXiv:cond-mat/0609543 · doi:10.1088/0953-8984/19/14/145267
Abstract
We present a detailed symmetry analysis of the degeneracy lifting due to higher order spin exchanges in the pyrochlore lattice in applied magnetic field. Under the assumption of the 4 sublattice ordering, the criteria for a stable half-magnetization plateau are deduced. The higher order exchange terms may originate from spin-lattice coupling, or can describe quantum and thermal fluctuations.
10 pages, 4 figures, submitted to "Highly Frustrated Magnetism 2006" conference in Osaka