Abstract
Magnetization plateaus, visible as anomalies in magnetic susceptibility at low temperatures, are one of the hallmarks of frustrated magnetism. We show how an extremely robust half-magnetization plateau can arise from coupling between spin and lattice degrees of freedom in a pyrochlore antiferromagnet and develop a detailed symmetry of analysis of the simplest possible scenario for such a plateau state. The application of this theory to the spinel oxides and , where a robust half-magnetization plateau has been observed, is discussed.
- Received 12 July 2004
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.197203
©2004 American Physical Society