Abstract
We figure out that the ground state of a multiple-spin exchange model applicable to thin films of solid possesses an octahedral spin nematic order. In the presence of a magnetic field, it is deformed into an antiferroquadrupolar order in the perpendicular spin plane, in which lattice rotational symmetry is also broken. Furthermore, this system shows a narrow magnetization plateau at half, , which resembles recent magnetization measurements [H. Nema et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 075301 (2009)].
- Received 2 October 2011
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.057206
© 2012 American Physical Society