Approximate Approach to Magnetic and Thermodynamic Properties of Mixed Spin (1/2-S) Chains with AB and $AB_2$ Topology

Motivated by the rapid development in the synthesis of novel molecule-based magnets, we have investigated magnetic and thermodynamic properties of mixed spin (s-S) exchange coupled chains displaying a simple linear AB or a knotted $AB_2$ arrangement. Approximate approach for s = 1/2 and S ≥ 5/2, treating at an intermediate step spin S operator as a commuting variable and using the transfer matrix technique, is used. Susceptibility, magnetization and heat capacity of both spin systems are evaluated numerically from the corresponding free energy for S = 5/2. Uniform ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic couplings are discussed. The procedure reproduces the right values of saturation magnetization and the entropy content of the systems, corroborating its correctness. χ T curves are shown to depend crucially on the $μ_{B}$ H/J ratio. For zero-field heat capacity a double-peak structure is revealed for the AB chain, whereas for the $AB_2$ chain only one broad anomaly is observed.