Spherical spin-orientation degeneracy of basic antiferromagnetic configurations due to the dipolar interaction in cubic lattices

TL;DR

This paper calculates the energies of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic states in various cubic lattices, revealing a unique spherical spin-orientation degeneracy, especially in fcc lattices, due to dipolar interactions.

Contribution

It provides precise energy values for magnetic states in cubic lattices and uncovers the special spherical degeneracy in fcc lattices caused by dipolar interactions.

Findings

Energy values for magnetic states in sc, bcc, fcc, and diamond lattices

Identification of spherical spin-orientation degeneracy

Unique degeneracy in fcc lattices

Abstract

Based on a simple general relation for the Lorentz field, the precise values are obtained for the energies of ferromagnetic and basic antiferromagnetic states in sc, bcc, fcc, and diamond cubic lattices. Within both the 'nearest-neighbor' and group-theoretic approaches, a large variety of antiferromagnetic states revealed as corresponding to the lowest energies is addressed, with recognizing their spherical spin-orientation degeneracy, which turns out to be rather special in fcc lattices.