English

Microphase Separation and modulated phases in a Coulomb frustrated Ising ferromagnet

Statistical Mechanics 2009-10-31 v1

Abstract

We study a 3-dimensional Ising model in which the tendency to order due to short-range ferromagnetic interactions is frustrated by competing long-range (Coulombic) interactions. Complete ferromagnetic ordering is impossible for any nonzero value of the frustration parameter, but the system displays a variety of phases characterized by periodically modulated structures. We have performed extensive Monte-Carlo simulations which provide strong evidence that the microphase separation transition between paramagnetic and modulated phases is a fluctuation-induced first-order transition. Additional transitions to various commensurate phases may also occur when further lowering the temperature.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9809250,
  title  = {Microphase Separation and modulated phases in a Coulomb frustrated Ising ferromagnet},
  author = {P. Viot and G. Tarjus},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9809250},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

6 pages, 4 figures, accepted in Europhys. Letters