The magnetization process of classical Heisenberg magnets with non-coplanar cuboc ground states

TL;DR

This paper investigates the magnetization behavior of classical Heisenberg models with non-coplanar cuboc ground states on kagome lattices, revealing universal properties and phase transitions influenced by lattice details and exchange interactions.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of magnetization processes in models with cuboc ground states, combining numerical and analytical methods, and identifies universal features and lattice-dependent phase transition characteristics.

Findings

Magnetization curves mainly exhibit non-linear behavior.

At least one magnetic field-driven phase transition occurs.

Universal properties are identified across different models.

Abstract

We consider a classical Heisenberg model on the kagom\'{e} and the square kagom\'{e} lattice, where at zero magnetic field non-coplanar cuboctahedral ground states with twelve sublattices exist if suitable exchange couplings are introduced between the other neighbors. Such 'cuboc ground states' are remarkable because they allow for chiral ordering. For these models, we discuss the magnetization process in an applied magnetic field $H$ by both numerical and analytical methods. We find some universal properties that are present in all models. The magnetization curve $M(H)$ usually contains only non-linear components and there is at least one magnetic field driven phase transition. Details of the $M(H)$ curve such as the number and characteristics (continuous or discontinuous) of the phase transitions depend on the lattice and the details of the exchange between the further neighbors. Typical features of these magnetization processes can already be derived for a paradigmatic 12 spin model that we define in this work.