Phase transitions of the mixed spin-1/2 and spin-S Ising model on a three-dimensional decorated lattice with a layered structure

Abstract

Phase transitions of the mixed spin-1/2 and spin-S (S >= 1/2) Ising model on a three-dimensional (3D) decorated lattice with a layered magnetic structure are investigated within the framework of a precise mapping relationship to the simple spin-1/2 Ising model on the tetragonal lattice. This mapping correspondence yields for the layered Ising model of mixed spins plausible results either by adopting the conjectured solution for the spin-1/2 Ising model on the orthorhombic lattice [Z.-D. Zhang, Philos. Mag. 87 (2007) 5309-5419] or by performing extensive Monte Carlo simulations for the corresponding spin-1/2 Ising model on the tetragonal lattice. It is shown that the critical behaviour markedly depends on a relative strength of axial zero-field splitting parameter, inter- and intra-layer interactions. The striking spontaneous order captured to the 'quasi-1D' spin system is found in a restricted region of interaction parameters, where the zero-field splitting parameter forces all integer-valued decorating spins towards their 'non-magnetic' spin state.