Magnetic sublattice

A magnetic sublattice groups sites with a common ordered magnetic moment in a description of magnetic order. In the simplest two-sublattice description, assign magnetizations ${\mathbf{M}}_A$ and ${\mathbf{M}}_B$ per total specimen volume, so thatHere $\mathbf{L}$ is one normalization of the staggered magnetization; conventions may include a factor $1/2$. Using the same total volume for both contributions is essential. Equal magnetic moment per site does not imply equal sublattice contributions if the site populations differ.

In this six-site example, three A sites and three B sites give total magnetic moments $6m_0$, $0$, and $3m_0$, respectively, along the chosen axis. The antiferromagnetic case has $\mathbf{M}=0$ but $\mathbf{L}=6m_0\hat{\mathbf{z}}/V$. Cancellation of the sum leaves the alternating information intact.