# Interpretation of antiferromagnetic magnons dispersion relation

The dispersion relation of magnons in a ferromagnetic 1d lattice is

$$\omega(k)=\omega_0\big[1-\cos(ka)\big]$$

where $\omega_0$ is a constant and $a$ is the spacing between sites in the lattice. This dispersion relation must be considered in the first brillouin zone; that is, up to $k=\frac{\pi}{a}$.

On the other hand, the dispersion relation of magnons in an antiferromagnetic 1d lattice is

$$\omega(k)=\omega_0\big[1-\cos^2(ka)\big]^{\frac{1}{2}}$$

The problem I'm having when I try to understand this dispersion relatinons is this. While the ferromagnetic one is a monotone growing function up to $k=\frac{\pi}{a}$ (which is a nice property of a dispersion relations), the antiferromagnetic one grows only up to $k=\frac{\pi}{2a}$ and then decays again. I don't understand this. Is this saying that antiferromagnetic magnons must be considered only at low energies because its dispersion relation breaks at higher $k$? Am I doing the math wrong?

• Or maybe it has to do with the fact that in an antiferromagnetic latice (if bipartite) the spacing between sites of each sublattice is $2a$ and not $a$... – P. C. Spaniel Nov 7 '17 at 3:52
• If I remember correctly, the zero dispersion at $k=\pi/a$ is due to some symmetry. – leongz Nov 9 '17 at 19:25