Experimental Characterization of the Ising Model in Disordered Antiferromagnets

The current status of experiments on the d=2 and d=3 random-exchange and random-field Ising models, as realized in dilute anisotropic antiferromagnets, is discussed. Two areas of current investigation are emphasized. For d=3, the large random field limit is being investigated and equilibrium critical behavior is being characterized at high magnetic concentrations.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures, Ising Centennial Colloquium, to be published in the Brazilian Journal of Physic

The specific heat and optical birefringence of Fe(0.25)Zn(0.75)F2

The specific heat (Cm) and optical birefringence (\Delta n) for the magnetic percolation threshold system Fe(0.25)Zn(0.75)F2 are analyzed with the aid of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Both \Delta n and the magnetic energy (Um) are governed by a linear combination of near-neighbor spin-spin correlations, which we have determined for \Delta n using MC simulations modeled closely after the real system. Near a phase transition or when only one interaction dominates, the temperature derivative of the birefringence [{d(\Delta n)}/{dT}] is expected to be proportional Cm since all relevant correlations necessarily have the same temperature dependence. Such a proportionality does not hold for Fe(0.25)Zn(0.75)F2 at low temperatures, however, indicating that neither condition above holds. MC results for this percolation system demonstrate that the shape of the temperature derivative of correlations associated with the frustrating third-nearest-neighbor interaction differs from that of the dominant second-nearest-neighbor interaction, accurately explaining the experimentally observed behavior quantitatively.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

The random field critical concentration in dilute antiferromagnets

Monte Carlo techniques are used to investigate the equilibrium threshold concentration, xe, in the dilute anisotropic antiferromagnet Fe(x)Zn(1-x)F2 in an applied magnetic field, considered to be an ideal random-field Ising model system. Above xe equilibrium behavior is observed whereas below xe metastability and domain formation dominate. Monte Carlo results agree very well with experimental data obtained using this system.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Experiments on the random field Ising model

New advances in experiments on the random-field Ising model, as realized in dilute antiferromagnets, have brought us much closer to a full characterization of the static and dynamic critical behavior of the unusual phase transition in three dimensions (d=3). The most important experiments that have laid the ground work for our present understanding are reviewed. Comparisons of the data with Monte Carlo simulations of the d=3 critical behavior are made. We review the current experimental understanding of the destroyed d=2 transition and the experiments exploring the d=2 metastability at low T. Connections to theories most relevant to the interpretations of all the experiments are discussed.Comment: 25 pages, 5 figures, LaTeX, to be published in World Scientific "Spin Glasses and Random Fields", ed. A. P. Youn

Nonequilibrium phase transitions and tricriticality in a three-dimensional lattice system with random-field competing kinetics

We study a nonequilibrium Ising model that stochastically evolves under the simultaneous operation of several spin-flip mechanisms. In other words, the local magnetic fields change sign randomly with time due to competing kinetics. This dynamics models a fast and random diffusion of disorder that takes place in dilute metallic alloys when magnetic ions diffuse. We performe Monte Carlo simulations on cubic lattices up to L=60. The system exhibits ferromagnetic and paramagnetic steady states. Our results predict first-order transitions at low temperatures and large disorder strengths, which correspond to the existence of a nonequilibrium tricritical point at finite temperature. By means of standard finite-size scaling equations, we estimate the critical exponents in the low-field region, for which our simulations uphold continuous phase transitions.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Equilibrium random-field Ising critical scattering in the antiferromagnet Fe(0.93)Zn(0.07)F2

It has long been believed that equilibrium random-field Ising model (RFIM) critical scattering studies are not feasible in dilute antiferromagnets close to and below Tc(H) because of severe non-equilibrium effects. The high magnetic concentration Ising antiferromagnet Fe(0.93)Zn(0.07)F2, however, does provide equilibrium behavior. We have employed scaling techniques to extract the universal equilibrium scattering line shape, critical exponents nu = 0.87 +- 0.07 and eta = 0.20 +- 0.05, and amplitude ratios of this RFIM system.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, minor revision

Analysis of wasp-waisted hysteresis loops in magnetic rocks

The random-field Ising model of hysteresis is generalized to dilute magnets and solved on a Bethe lattice. Exact expressions for the major and minor hysteresis loops are obtained. In the strongly dilute limit the model provides a simple and useful understanding of the shapes of hysteresis loops in magnetic rock samples.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Far infrared spectroscopy on the three-dimensional dilute antiferromagnet Fe(x)Zn(1-x)F2

Fourier-transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy measurements have been performed on the three-dimensional dilute antiferromagnet Fe(x)Zn(1-x)F2 with x=0.99 ~ 0.58 in far infrared (FIR) region. The FIR spectra are analyzed taking into account the ligand field and the local exchange interaction probability with J1 ~ J3; |J1|,|J3|<<|J2|, where J1, J2 and J3 are the nearest neighbor, second nearest neighbor and third nearest neighbor exchange interaction constants, respectively. The concentration dependence of the FIR spectra at low temperature is qualitatively well reproduced by our analysis, though some detailed structure remains unexplained.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Magnetic Properties of the Metamagnet Ising Model in a three-dimensional Lattice in a Random and Uniform Field

By employing the Monte Carlo technique we study the behavior of Metamagnet Ising Model in a random field. The phase diagram is obtained by using the algorithm of Glaubr in a cubic lattice of linear size $L$ with values ranging from 16 to 42 and with periodic boundary conditions.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figure