Incommensurate Short-Range Order in $S=1$ Triangular Lattice Ising Antiferromagnet

TL;DR

This study uses Monte Carlo simulations to explore how frustration and nonmagnetic states in an $S=1$ triangular lattice Ising antiferromagnet lead to incommensurate short-range order and glassy dynamics at intermediate temperatures.

Contribution

It reveals the role of frustration and nonmagnetic states in producing incommensurate short-range order and glassy behavior in an $S=1$ triangular lattice Ising model, a novel insight into integer spin systems.

Findings

Incommensurate short-range order appears at intermediate temperatures.

A fourfold periodic ordered state emerges at low temperatures.

Short-range order exhibits glassy two-step relaxation.

Abstract

We study the $S = 1$ triangular lattice Ising antiferromagnet by Monte Carlo simulations. Frustrations between a major antiferromagnetic third-neighbor interaction $J_3$ and a minor ferromagnetic nearest-neighbor interaction $J_1$ cause incommensurate short-range orders at intermediate temperatures. At low temperatures (below $T/J_3 \lesssim 0.2$ for $J_1/J_3 = -1/3$), the system exhibits fourfold periodic ordered state. In the short-range order phase, the system shows a glassy two-step relaxation. We demonstrate that the features of the short-range order are attributed to the cooperation between the frustrations and the nonmagnetic Ising spin states which is a particular feature of the integer spin systems.