Phase diagram of a two-dimensional square lattice of magnetic particles with perpendicular anisotropy

Abstract

The ground state of an array of small single-domain magnetic particles having perpendicular anisotropy and forming a square two-dimensional lattice is studied in the presence of a magnetic field. The stability of some basic states with respect to nonuniform perturbations is analyzed in a linear approximation, and analytical model calculations and numerical simulation are used for an analysis. The entire set of states at various anisotropy constants and magnetic fields is considered when a field is normal to the array plane. Two main classes of states are possible for an infinite system, namely, collinear and noncollinear states. For collinear states, the magnetic moments of all particles are normal to the array plane. At a sufficiently high anisotropy, a wide class of collinear states exists. At low fields, a staggered antiferromagnetic order of magnetic moments takes place. An increase in the magnetic field causes an unsaturated state, and this state transforms into a saturated (ferromagnetic) state with a parallel orientation of the magnetic moments of all particles at a sufficiently high field. At a lower anisotropy, the ground state of the system is represented by noncollinear states, which include a complex four-sublattice structure for the components of the magnetic moments in the array plane and a nonzero projection of the magnetic moments of the particles onto the field direction. A phase diagram is plotted for the states of an array of anisotropic magnetic particles in the anisotropy constant-magnetic field coordinates. For a finite array of particles, sample boundaries are shown to play a significant role, which is particularly important for noncollinear states. As a result of the effect of the boundaries at a moderate field or anisotropy, substantially heterogeneous noncollinear states with a heterogeneity size comparable with the sample size can appear in the system.