Order from disorder in the double-exchange model

The magnetic excitations of the double-exchange (DE) model are usually discussed in terms of an equivalent ferromagnetic Heisenberg model. However this equivalence is valid only at a quasi-classical level—we show that both quantum and thermal corrections to the magnetic properties of the DE model differ from any effective Heisenberg model because its spin excitations interact only indirectly, through the exchange of charge fluctuations. We also find that the competition between ferromagnetic DE and an antiferromagnetic superexchange provides a new example of an ‘order from disorder’ phenomenon—an intermediate spin configuration (either a canted or a spiral state) is selected by quantum and/or thermal fluctuations. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)