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Material from this lecture is taken from Physics of Magnetism by Chikazumi, Chapters 15 - 18
Coercivity (Hc)
Important principle:
Magnetization will lie in direction which is an energy minimum
Consider a simple example:
H
easy axis
(Stoner-Wohlfarth model)
Simple example:
easy axis
U MH cos( ) K1 sin 2 ( )
Zeeman energy
Find M () by condition:
U
0
Uniaxial anisotropy
See: http://www.student.uni-kl.de/~mewes/magnet.e.html
M
H
For 0 : Hc=2K1/Ms
0
Magnetic Anisotropy
Anisotropy: preferred (easy axes) and unfavorable (hard axes) directions
of magnetization
Due to coupling of electronic spins to electronic charge density
For this rotation, as long as spins remain parallel, exchange energy does
not change, but dipolar and LS coupling energy will change.
Magnetic Anisotropy
Anisotropy: preferred (easy axes) and unfavorable (hard axes) directions
of magnetization
Due to coupling of electronic spins to electronic charge density
Example: hcp Co
M
c-axis (hard)
easy
hard
(easy)
8000
H (G)
Magnetic Anisotropy
Two major types of anisotropy, written in terms of empirical anisotropy
coefficients:
Uniaxial:
U A K1 sin 2 K 2 sin 4
Cubic:
U A K1 (12 22 12 32 22 32 ) K 212 22 32
(e.g., Co)
Note: cubic lattices can have several easy and hard axes
Domains
In ferromagnetic materials, exchange interaction leads
to an alignment of atomic spins
However, this leads to a large external and dipolar magnetic fields
which will tend to demagnetize the material. Domains are formed
to minimize this effect.
Domain wall
From http://www.aacg.bham.ac.uk/magnetic_materials
Domains
Domain size and wall size determined by energy cost,
dependent on material and geometry.
Ni thin film
Domain Walls
Energy is minimized by having a wall of finite width
N spins
U JS
(per unit area)
N
U JS 2
KNa
a N
2
K = anisotropy constant
a = lattice constant
Domain Walls
Energy is minimized by having a wall of finite width
N spins over d
U
JS
0 N
3
N
Ka
d Na
2
domain size will depend on sample geometry (see Chikazumi, Chp. 16)
Domain Walls
Domains have different shapes and orientations
Two examples of thin film domain walls:
Neel wall (rotation in plane)
H
H