Theoretical analysis of neutron scattering results for quasi-two dimensional ferromagnets

A theoretical study has been carried out to analyse the available results from the inelastic neutron scattering experiment performed on a quasi-two dimensional spin-1/2 ferromagnetic material $K_2CuF_4$. Our formalism is based on a conventional semi-classical like treatment involving a model of an ideal gas of vortices/anti-vortices corresponding to an anisotropic XY Heisenberg ferromagnet on a square lattice. The results for dynamical structure functions for our model corresponding to spin-1/2, show occurrence of negative values in a large range of energy transfer even encompassing the experimental range, when convoluted with a realistic spectral window function. This result indicates failure of the conventional theoretical framework to be applicable to the experimental situation corresponding to low spin systems. A full quantum formalism seems essential for treating such systems.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, 1 Table Submitted for publicatio

Spin fluctuations and excitations in a 2D xy-ferromagnet: CoCl/sub 2/ in graphite

We have investigated by neutron scattering the spin fluctuations and excitations in the stage 2 CoCl/sub 2/ -- graphite intercalation compound. This compound has easy-plane anisotropy and sufficiently weak interplanar interaction to qualify as a test material for Kosterlitz-Thouless-Berezinsky type phase transitions. We have carried out quasi-elastic scattering measurements to determine the temperature variation of the spin correlation length /xi/ above the two dimensional ordering transition. We have also probed the dependence on wave vector and temperature of the inelastic scattering cross section, consisting of both a central peak, associated with vortex diffusion, and spin wave, which become strongly damped above the transition temperature. 15 refs., 5 figs