Chiral symmetry breaking in FAXY model with roughness exponent method

Chiral symmetry breaking in the frustrated antiferromagnetic XY (FAXY) model on a two-dimensional triangular lattice is investigated. The roughness exponent method is used instead of the standard Metropolis method. Spin configurations are mapped to adatoms on a solid-on-solid (SOS) growth model. Statistical properties of the grown film surface are analyzed. Results show that the chiral transition can be indicated by the sharp increase in the roughness of the film morphologies. The critical temperature at the transition can be identified either by the peak of the noise-reduced interface width (W∗) or the peak of the noise-reduced roughness exponent (α∗). The critical temperature and exponent (ν) obtained here are consistent with those obtained from conventional methods. •We investigate chiral symmetry breaking in the FAXY model.•Spin configurations are mapped to surfaces of a solid-on-solid growth model.•The film roughness is maximum at critical temperature.•The critical temperature is determined by using properties of the film surface.•The roughness exponent is found to be greater than one near the critical point.