Critical line of honeycomb-lattice anisotropic Ising antiferromagnets in a field

Abstract

We use numerical transfer-matrix methods, together with finite-size scaling and conformal invariance concepts, to discuss critical properties of two-dimensional honeycomb-lattice Ising spin-1/2 magnets, with couplings which are antiferromagnetic along at least one lattice axis, in a uniform external field. We focus mainly on the shape of the phase diagram in field-temperature parameter space; in order to do so, both the order and universality class of the underlying phase transition are examined. Our results indicate that, in one particular case studied, the critical line has a horizontal section (i.e. at constant field) of finite length, starting at the zero-temperature end of the phase boundary. Other than that, we find no evidence of unusual behavior, at variance with the reentrant features predicted in earlier studies.