Micromagnetic simulations of frustrated triangular antiferromagnets: application to magnetoelectric HoMnO₃

Abstract

Using the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equations, we model magnetic field vs temperature phase transitions in several frustrated stacked triangular antiferromagnets. We find this method to be an improvement from previously used effective field methods. -- The algorithm is applied to magnetoelectric HoMnO₃. A variety of novel interaction terms are proposed to explain the stability of the numerous spin states observed in this and related compounds.