Hysteresis in an Ising model with mobile bonds

Abstract

Hysteresis is studied in a disordered Ising model in which diffusion of antiferromagnetic bonds is allowed in addition to spin flips. Saturation behavior changes to a figure-eight loop when diffusion is introduced. The upper and lower fields delimiting the figure-eight are determined by the Hamiltonian, while its surface and the crossing point depend on the temperature and details of the dynamics. The main avalanche is associated with the disappearance of hidden order. Some experimental observations of figure-eight anomalies are discussed. It is argued they are a signal of a transient rearrangement of domain couplings, characteristic of amorphous and/or magnetically soft samples, and similar to evolution of kinetic glasses.