Anomalous Behavior of Spin Systems with Dipolar Interactions

Abstract

We study the properties of spin systems realized by cold polar molecules interacting via dipole-dipole interactions in two dimensions. Using a spin wave theory, that allows for the full treatment of the characteristic long-distance tail of the dipolar interaction, we find several anomalous features in the ground state correlations and the spin wave excitation spectrum, which are absent in their counterparts with short-range interaction. The most striking consequence is the existence of true long-range order at finite temperature for a two-dimensional phase with a broken U(1) symmetry.