Two-dimensional anisotropic Heisenberg antiferromagnet in a field

The classical, square lattice, uniaxially anisotropic Heisenberg antiferromagnet in a magnetic field parallel to the easy axis is studied using Monte Carlo techniques. The model displays a long-range ordered antiferromagnetic, an algebraically ordered spin-flop, and a paramagnetic phase. The simulations indicate that a narrow disordered phase intervenes between the ordered phases down to quite low temperatures. Results are compared to previous, partially conflicting findings on related classical models as well as the quantum variant with spin S=1/2.