The exotic ground state of the decorated honeycomb lattice

Abstract

The study is focusing on the exploration of the magnetic properties of the frustrated decorated honeycomb lattices. The presence of geometrical frustration and C3 symmetry leads to an exotic ground state. Monte Carlo simulations and analytical calculations are used to analyze the system’s behavior. The dependence of the magnetization on the external field of the Ising model exhibits a step-like behavior, while the magnetization of the classical Heisenberg model has no plateau in the isotropic case. An efficient Hamiltonian is proposed to describe the properties of this system on the unfrustrated hexagonal lattice within the framework of the chiral Potts model. Within a specific range of fields, the state of the effective Hamiltonian aligns with that of the original Hamiltonian. The ground state configurations and degeneracy of the system are explored, revealing fractured stripe patterns separated by spins with opposite orientations. These findings contribute to the knowledge of the properties of decorated lattices, offering valuable insights for potential experimental and practical applications.