Noncoplanar multi-k states in frustrated spinel and kagome magnets

Abstract

We investigate analytically and numerically the classical ground states of frustrated Heisenberg models on pyrochlore and kagome lattices in zero and finite magnetic fields. Each model has a wide region in the microscopic parameter space, where the propagation vector is turned to a commensurate position equal to a half of the reciprocal lattice vector with a nontrivial star. Within these regions the zero-field ground states for both models correspond to noncoplanar triple-k spin configurations. A universal appearance of the 3-k states can be related to the spin-space dimensionality. A strong magnetic field freezes the longitudinal spin component reducing the spin-space dimensionality. Accordingly, we find transitions into the double-k magnetic structures induced by applied field for both spin models. The predicted transition between 3-k and 2-k states may explain the hitherto unexplained transitions observed experimentally in cubic spinels GeNi2O4 and GeCo2O4 under magnetic field.