Dynamic Transitions in Pure Ising Magnets under Pulsed and Oscillating Fields

Response of pure Ising systems to time-dependent external magnetic fields, like pulsed and oscillating fields, are discussed and compared here. Because of the two time scales involved, namely the thermodynamic relaxation time of the system and the pulse width or the time period of the external field, dynamically broken symmetric phases appear spontaneously when both become comparable. A particularly simple case is that of an Ising ferromagnet below its static critical temperature, when it is perturbed for a short duration by a pulsed magnetic field competing with the existing order in the system. If the field strength and duration is more than the threshold (dependent on the temperature), the system, and consequently the magnetization, switches from one minimum to the other of the static free energy. This magnetization reversal transition here shows intriguing dynamic transition behaviour, similar to those for oscillating fields. Monte Carlo studies for such dynamic transitions are discussed and compared with the mean field results for the same and the Monte Carlo results for the oscillating field case. In particular, we discuss about the Monte Carlo results for the fluctuations and their growth behaviour near this magnetization reversal (dynamic) transition point.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, submitted for the proceedings of CPC 200

Spin-Reversal Transition in Ising Model under Pulsed Field

In this communication we report the existence of a dynamic ``spin-reversal'' transition in an Ising system perturbed by a pulsed external magnetic field. The transition is achieved by tuning the strength ($h_p$) and/or the duration ($\Delta t$) of the pulse which is applied in a direction opposite to the existing order. We have studied this transition in the kinetic Ising Model in two dimension using Monte Carlo technique, and solved numerically the mean field equation of motion. The transition is essentially dynamic in nature and it takes the system from one ordered equilibrium phase to another by means of the growth of opposite spin domains (in the kinetic Ising case) induced during the period when the pulsed field is applied.Comment: 19 pages, Latex, 6 eps figures, to appear in Physica A Subject-Class: Statistical Physic

Dynamic Magnetization-Reversal Transition in the Ising Model

We report the results of mean field and the Monte Carlo study of the dynamic magnetization-reversal transition in the Ising model, brought about by the application of an external field pulse applied in opposition to the existing order before the application of the pulse. The transition occurs at a temperature T below the static critical temperature T_c without any external field. The transition occurs when the system, perturbed by the external field pulse competing with the existing order, jumps from one minimum of free energy to the other after the withdrawal of the pulse. The parameters controlling the transition are the strength h_p and the duration Delta t of the pulse. In the mean field case, approximate analytical expression is obtained for the phase boundary which agrees well with that obtained numerically in the small Delta t and large T limit. The order parameter of the transition has been identified and is observed to vary continuously near the transition. The order parameter exponent beta was estimated both for the mean field (beta =1) and the Monte Carlo beta = 0.90 \pm 0.02 in two dimension) cases. The transition shows a "critical slowing-down" type behaviour near the phase boundary with diverging relaxation time. The divergence was found to be logarithmic in the mean field case and exponential in the Monte Carlo case. The finite size scaling technique was employed to estimate the correlation length exponent nu (= 1.5 \pm 0.3 in two dimension) in the Monte Carlo case.Comment: 13 pages, latex, 8 figure

Mean field and Monte Carlo studies of the magnetization-reversal transition in the Ising model

Detailed mean field and Monte Carlo studies of the dynamic magnetization-reversal transition in the Ising model in its ordered phase under a competing external magnetic field of finite duration have been presented here. Approximate analytical treatment of the mean field equations of motion shows the existence of diverging length and time scales across this dynamic transition phase boundary. These are also supported by numerical solutions of the complete mean field equations of motion and the Monte Carlo study of the system evolving under Glauber dynamics in both two and three dimensions. Classical nucleation theory predicts different mechanisms of domain growth in two regimes marked by the strength of the external field, and the nature of the Monte Carlo phase boundary can be comprehended satisfactorily using the theory. The order of the transition changes from a continuous to a discontinuous one as one crosses over from coalescence regime (stronger field) to nucleation regime (weaker field). Finite size scaling theory can be applied in the coalescence regime, where the best fit estimates of the critical exponents are obtained for two and three dimensions.Comment: 16 pages latex, 13 ps figures, typos corrected, references adde

Structure of domains in an exchange-bias model

The structure of domains in the interface monolayer of the antiferromagnet in an exchange-bias system is investigated in the framework of the domain state model. These interface domains carrying remanent magnetization provide the bias field and are strongly influenced by the bulk. The stable part of the spin configurations at the interface, which is responsible for exchange bias, is identified. The stability analysis of the interface domains leads to an explanation of the nontrivial dependence of the bias field on thickness and anisotropy of the antiferromagnet

Control of exchange bias by diluting the antiferromagnetic layer

The domain state model for exchange bias is used for an investigation of recent experiments where the magnitude and direction of the exchange bias was controlled by He ion irradiation of an FeNi/FeMn sample. The defects in the sample which result from the irradiation are modeled as diluting the antiferromagnet (AFM) after the initial cooling procedure. This late dilution, carried out in presence of a field, leads to a rearrangement of the original domain structure of the AFM resulting in an enhancement or reduction in the bias field