Domain structure in uniaxial ferromagnets in the vicinity of a continuous phase transition from a paramagnetic phase to a ferromagnetic one

Abstract

On the basis of the Landau-Ginzburg theory, the phase transition from the paramagnetic phase to the ferromagnetic phase with domain structure in ferromagnetic films with uniaxial anisotropy has been described. Analytic expressions have been obtained which describe the dependence of the period of the domain structure on the thickness of the film and temperature near the temperature of the phase transition. The results that have been obtained are in qualitative agreement with experimental data obtained for films made of the orthoferrites YFeO 3 and Ho 0.5 D y 0.5FeO 3.