On the spontaneous magnetization of two-dimensional ferromagnets

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Pescia, D., Vindigni, A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Pescia, D.
Vindigni, A.
author_facet Pescia, D.
Vindigni, A.
contents Ferromagnetism is typically discussed in terms of the exchange interaction and magnetic anisotropies. Yet real samples are inevitably affected by the magnetostatic dipole-dipole interaction. Because of this interaction, a theorem (R.B. Griffiths, Free Energy of interacting magnetic dipoles, Phys. Rev. 176, 655 (1968)) forbids a spontaneous magnetization in, nota bene, three-dimensional bodies. Here we discuss perpendicularly and in-plane magnetized ferromagnetic bodies in the shape of a slab of finite thickness. In perpendicularly magnetized slabs, magnetic domains are energetically favored when the lateral size is sufficiently large, i.e. there is no spontaneous magnetization. For in-plane magnetization, instead, spontaneous magnetization is possible below a critical thickness which, in real thin films, could be as small as few monolayers. At this critical thickness, we predict a genuine phase transition to a multi-domain state. These results have implications for two-dimensional ferromagnetism.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2405_02898
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle On the spontaneous magnetization of two-dimensional ferromagnets
Pescia, D.
Vindigni, A.
Statistical Mechanics
Ferromagnetism is typically discussed in terms of the exchange interaction and magnetic anisotropies. Yet real samples are inevitably affected by the magnetostatic dipole-dipole interaction. Because of this interaction, a theorem (R.B. Griffiths, Free Energy of interacting magnetic dipoles, Phys. Rev. 176, 655 (1968)) forbids a spontaneous magnetization in, nota bene, three-dimensional bodies. Here we discuss perpendicularly and in-plane magnetized ferromagnetic bodies in the shape of a slab of finite thickness. In perpendicularly magnetized slabs, magnetic domains are energetically favored when the lateral size is sufficiently large, i.e. there is no spontaneous magnetization. For in-plane magnetization, instead, spontaneous magnetization is possible below a critical thickness which, in real thin films, could be as small as few monolayers. At this critical thickness, we predict a genuine phase transition to a multi-domain state. These results have implications for two-dimensional ferromagnetism.
title On the spontaneous magnetization of two-dimensional ferromagnets
topic Statistical Mechanics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.02898