Magnetization switching in nanoscale ferromagnetic grains: description by a kinetic Ising model
Abstract
The magnetic relaxation of ferromagnetic powders has been studied for many years, largely due to its importance to recording technologies. However, only recently have experiments been performed that resolve the magnetic state of individual sub-micron particles. Motivated by these experimental developments, we use droplet theory and Monte Carlo simulations to study the time and field dependence of some quantities that can be observed by magnetic force microscopy. Particular emphasis is placed on the effects of finite particle size. The qualitative agreement between experiments on switching and our simulations in individual single-domain ferromagnets suggests that the switching mechanism in such particles may involve local nucleation and subsequent growth of droplets of the stable phase.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9412120,
title = {Magnetization switching in nanoscale ferromagnetic grains: description by a kinetic Ising model},
author = {Howard L. Richards and Scott W. Sides and M. A. Novotny and Per Arne Rikvold},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9412120},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
17 pages, RevTeX 3.0, 15 tar-compressed and uu-encoded figures. Submitted to J. Magn. Magn. Mater