Spin persistence in an antiferromagnetic triangular Ising lattice under a magnetic field

In order to understand the steplike magnetization behaviors often observed in frustrated magnetic systems (e.g., Ca3Co2O6 compound) at low temperature, we study the spin persistence effect of quenched two-dimensional triangular Ising lattice of antiferromagnetic order under magnetic field, using Monte Carlo simulations. The one-to-one correspondence between the spin blockings and magnetization steps is demonstrated, indicating the essential contribution of the spin frustration freezing to the steplike magnetization behavior. It is revealed that the steplike jumps of the magnetization occurring at several critical magnetic fields are activated by drastic suppression of the spin blocking at these fields. We investigate in detail the dynamic evolution of the spin persistence probability and corresponding spin configuration as a function of magnetic field, and it is indicated that the degree of spin activeness as determined by the energy change due to spin flips induces the stepwise behavior of the magnetization. This work presents a sound explanation to the steplike magnetization of Ca3Co2O6 compound at low temperature.