The spin glass correlation length and the crossover from three to two dimensions

The identification of a time and temperature dependent spin glass correlation length, ξ(t,T)ξ(t,T), has consequences for samples of finite size. Previous experiments on layered samples show a suppression of the freezing temperature with decreasing sample thickness. The correlation length exceeding the finite sample thickness can explain these results. This novel analysis lends further credence to the correlation length paradigm of understanding spin glasses.