Effective critical behaviour of diluted Heisenberg-like magnets

In agreement with the Harris criterion, asymptotic critical exponents of three-dimensional (3D) Heisenberg-like magnets are not influenced by weak quenched dilution of non-magnetic component. However, often in the experimental studies of corresponding systems concentration- and temperature-dependent exponents are found with values differing from those of the 3D Heisenberg model. In our study, we use the field- theoretical renormalization group approach to explain this observation and to calculate the effective critical exponents of weakly diluted quenched Heisenberg-like magnet. Being non-universal, these exponents change with distance to the critical point T-c as observed experimentally. In the asymptotic limit (at T-c) they equal to the critical exponents of the pure 3D Heisenberg magnet as predicted by the Harris criterion. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.