The magnetization processes and critical transition in a nanogranular magnetic film with perpendicular anisotropy

Abstract

The mechanisms and properties of the equilibrium magnetization process for nanogranular films with perpendicular anisotropy placed in a tilted magnetic field are considered. The contributions of the effects of canting and flipping of the granules’ magnetic moments to the process of film magnetization are studied. A critical behavior of the film magnetization at the transition, induced by a tilted magnetic field, from a state with non-uniform orientation of the granules’ magnetic moments to one with a similar orientation is revealed. The results obtained within the two-level model of the orientation of the particles’ magnetic moments are in good agreement with the experimental data for Co–Al2O3 (61 at.% Co) granular film. The perpendicular anisotropy of the granules in this film originates mainly from their elongated shape. It is shown that in the non-uniform state the magnetostatic energy of a granular film with similarly oriented elongated granules can be described by the sum of contributions of two types: quasi-single-granular and quasi-film. The effective constant of the single-particle anisotropy of the granules in this case turns out to be dependent on the factor of volume filling of the film by granules, but not on its magnetization.