J. Phys. A 30, L233-L238 (1997)
Surface spin-flop phases and bulk discommensurations in antiferromagnets
C Micheletti, R B Griffiths and J M Yeomans
Link to online article.
Abstract.
Phase diagrams as a function of anisotropy D and magnetic
field H are obtained for discommensurations and surface states for a
model antiferromagnet, equivalent to a mean-field approximation, in
which H is parallel to the easy axis. The surface spin-flop phase
exists for all D. We show that there is a region where the penetration
length of the surface spin-flop phase diverges. Introducing a
discommensuration of even length then becomes preferable to
reconstructing the surface. The results are used to clarify and
correct previous studies in which discommensurations have been
confused with genuine surface spin-flop states.