Two models of spin glasses — Ising versus Heisenberg

Abstract

Brief review is given on recent numerical research of the ordering of two typical models of spin glasses (SGs), the three-dimensional (3D) Ising SG and the 3D Heisenberg SG models. Particular attention is paid to the questions of whether there is a thermodynamic transition in zero field, what are the associated critical properties, what is the nature of the ordered state, particularly of a possible replica-symmetry breaking, and whether there is a thermodynamic transition in applied fields. The properties of the two models are contrasted, and possible relation to experiments is discussed.