In terms of a broken-symmetry wavefunction?
2007-08-03 10:32:10 · 2 answers · asked by supastremph 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
When a material consisting of magnetic moments (dipoles) aligns such that the neighboring moments are in opposite directions, this is referred to as an antiferromagnetic, or a Neel state. The temperature at which this occurs (AFM below this temperature) is referred to as the Neel temperature.
In terms of a wavefunction, clearly, due to the symmetry of the spins (moments), the wavefunction in the AFM state has a symmetry, while above in the paramagnetic state, it does not. They symmetry is broken.
2007-08-03 11:21:26 · answer #1 · answered by bozo 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
On the contrary.
Pramagnetic state is symmetric, and its group of symmetry includes all spacial rotations.
Antiferromagnetic symmetry reduced to rotations around magnetization axis only, and mirror flips in perpendicualar plane. The full symmetry is gone, broken they say.
Crystals may look symmetric, but in reality their symmetry is lower than that of a fluid.
2007-08-03 11:40:39 · answer #2 · answered by Alexander 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋