Surface spin-flop transitions in a classical XYZ chain

A surface spin-flop transition has recently been observed in a multilayer F e/Cr film (superlattice) that may be effectively described by a classical a ntiferromagnetic chain with a single-ion anisotropy. In this paper we explo re such a transition in a classical spin chain with exchange anisotropy. Ou r theoretical results may suggest the occurrence of a similar phenomenon in quantum spin chains doped with nonmagnetic ions.