Hysteretic response characteristics and dynamic phase transition via site dilution in the kinetic Ising model

The decay of the hysteresis loop area of the system, which is obeying a site diluted kinetic Ising model, is considered by the disorder parameter using the effective field theory analysis. The exhibition focuses on the understanding of external field frequency, amplitude and the site concentration dependency of the hysteresis loop area for several powerful treatments. Important characteristics of the hysteretic response, such as frequency dispersion, effect of domain nucleation phenomenon on the dynamic process etc. has been introduced together with well known other characteristics. An attempt has been made to explain the relations between the competing time scales (intrinsic microscopic relaxation time of the system and the time period of the external oscillatory field) and the shape of the response. As a result of the detailed investigations, existence of essentially three, particularly four types of dispersion curves have been propounded.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figure

Dynamic Phase Transition in a Time-Dependent Ginzburg-Landau Model in an Oscillating Field

The Ginzburg-Landau model below its critical temperature in a temporally oscillating external field is studied both theoretically and numerically. As the frequency or the amplitude of the external force is changed, a nonequilibrium phase transition is observed. This transition separates spatially uniform, symmetry-restoring oscillations from symmetry-breaking oscillations. Near the transition a perturbation theory is developed, and a switching phenomenon is found in the symmetry-broken phase. Our results confirm the equivalence of the present transition to that found in Monte Carlo simulations of kinetic Ising systems in oscillating fields, demonstrating that the nonequilibrium phase transition in both cases belongs to the universality class of the equilibrium Ising model in zero field. This conclusion is in agreement with symmetry arguments [G. Grinstein, C. Jayaprakash, and Y. He, Phys. Rev. Lett. 55, 2527 (1985)] and recent numerical results [G. Korniss, C.J. White, P. A. Rikvold, and M. A. Novotny, Phys. Rev. E (submitted)]. Furthermore, a theoretical result for the structure function of the local magnetization with thermal noise, based on the Ornstein-Zernike approximation, agrees well with numerical results in one dimension.Comment: 16 pp. RevTex, 9 embedded ps figure

Absence of First-order Transition and Tri-critical Point in the Dynamic Phase Diagram of a Spatially Extended Bistable System in an Oscillating Field

It has been well established that spatially extended, bistable systems that are driven by an oscillating field exhibit a nonequilibrium dynamic phase transition (DPT). The DPT occurs when the field frequency is on the order of the inverse of an intrinsic lifetime associated with the transitions between the two stable states in a static field of the same magnitude as the amplitude of the oscillating field. The DPT is continuous and belongs to the same universality class as the equilibrium phase transition of the Ising model in zero field [G. Korniss et al., Phys. Rev. E 63, 016120 (2001); H. Fujisaka et al., Phys. Rev. E 63, 036109 (2001)]. However, it has previously been claimed that the DPT becomes discontinuous at temperatures below a tricritical point [M. Acharyya, Phys. Rev. E 59, 218 (1999)]. This claim was based on observations in dynamic Monte Carlo simulations of a multipeaked probability density for the dynamic order parameter and negative values of the fourth-order cumulant ratio. Both phenomena can be characteristic of discontinuous phase transitions. Here we use classical nucleation theory for the decay of metastable phases, together with data from large-scale dynamic Monte Carlo simulations of a two-dimensional kinetic Ising ferromagnet, to show that these observations in this case are merely finite-size effects. For sufficiently small systems and low temperatures, the continuous DPT is replaced, not by a discontinuous phase transition, but by a crossover to stochastic resonance. In the infinite-system limit the stochastic-resonance regime vanishes, and the continuous DPT should persist for all nonzero temperatures

Hysteresis and the dynamic phase transition in thin ferromagnetic films

Hysteresis and the non-equilibrium dynamic phase transition in thin magnetic films subject to an oscillatory external field have been studied by Monte Carlo simulation. The model under investigation is a classical Heisenberg spin system with a bilinear exchange anisotropy in a planar thin film geometry with competing surface fields. The film exhibits a non-equilibrium phase transition between dynamically ordered and dynamically disordered phases characterized by a critical temperature Tcd, whose location of is determined by the amplitude H0 and frequency w of the applied oscillatory field. In the presence of competing surface fields the critical temperature of the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transition for the film is suppressed from the bulk system value, Tc, to the interface localization-delocalization temperature Tci. The simulations show that in general Tcd < Tci for the model film. The profile of the time-dependent layer magnetization across the film shows that the dynamically ordered and dynamically disordered phases coexist within the film for T < Tcd. In the presence of competing surface fields, the dynamically ordered phase is localized at one surface of the film.Comment: PDF file, 21 pages including 8 figure pages; added references,typos added; to be published in PR

Stochastic Hysteresis and Resonance in a Kinetic Ising System

We study hysteresis for a two-dimensional, spin-1/2, nearest-neighbor, kinetic Ising ferromagnet in an oscillating field, using Monte Carlo simulations and analytical theory. Attention is focused on small systems and weak field amplitudes at a temperature below $T_{c}$. For these restricted parameters, the magnetization switches through random nucleation of a single droplet of spins aligned with the applied field. We analyze the stochastic hysteresis observed in this parameter regime, using time-dependent nucleation theory and the theory of variable-rate Markov processes. The theory enables us to accurately predict the results of extensive Monte Carlo simulations, without the use of any adjustable parameters. The stochastic response is qualitatively different from what is observed, either in mean-field models or in simulations of larger spatially extended systems. We consider the frequency dependence of the probability density for the hysteresis-loop area and show that its average slowly crosses over to a logarithmic decay with frequency and amplitude for asymptotically low frequencies. Both the average loop area and the residence-time distributions for the magnetization show evidence of stochastic resonance. We also demonstrate a connection between the residence-time distributions and the power spectral densities of the magnetization time series. In addition to their significance for the interpretation of recent experiments in condensed-matter physics, including studies of switching in ferromagnetic and ferroelectric nanoparticles and ultrathin films, our results are relevant to the general theory of periodically driven arrays of coupled, bistable systems with stochastic noise.Comment: 35 pages. Submitted to Phys. Rev. E Minor revisions to the text and updated reference

A Study of Spin-Flipping in Sputtered IrMn using Py-based Exchange-Biased Spin-Valves

To study spin flipping within the antiferromagnet IrMn, we extended prior Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane (CPP) Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) studies of Py-based exchange-biased-spin-valves containing IrMn inserts to thicker IrMn layers-5 nm less than or equal to t(IrMn) less than or equal to 30 nm. Unexpectedly, A{\Delta}R = A[R(AP) - R(P)]--the difference in specific resistance between the anti-parallel (AP) and parallel (P) magnetic states of the two Py layers-did not decrease with increasing t(IrMn), for t(IrMn) greater than 5 nm, but rather became constant to within our measuring uncertainty. This constant looks to be due mostly to a new, small MR in thin Py layers. The constant complicates isolating the spin-diffusion length, lsf(IrMn), in bulk IrMn, but lsf(IrMn) is probably short, less than or equal to 1 nm. Similar results were found with FeMn.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, 2010 MMM Conferenc

Specific Resistance of Pd/Ir Interfaces

From measurements of the current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) total specific resistance (AR = area times resistance) of sputtered Pd/Ir multilayers, we derive the interface specific resistance, 2AR(Pd/Ir) = 1.02 +/- 0.06 fOhmm^2, for this metal pair with closely similar lattice parameters. Assuming a single fcc crystal structure with the average lattice parameter, no-free-parameter calculations, including only spd orbitals, give for perfect interfaces, 2AR(Pd/Ir)(Perf) = 1.21 +/-0.1 fOhmm^2, and for interfaces composed of two monolayers of a random 50%-50% alloy, 2AR(Pd/Ir)(50/50) = 1.22 +/- 0.1 fOhmm^2. Within mutual uncertainties, these values fall just outside the range of the experimental value. Updating to add f-orbitals gives 2AR(Pd/Ir)(Perf) = 1.10 +/- 0.1 fOhmm^2 and 2AR(Pd/Ir)(50-50) = 1.13 +/- 0.1 fOhmm^2, values now compatible with the experimental one. We also update, with f-orbitals, calculations for other pairsComment: 3 pages, 1 figure, in press in Applied Physics Letter

Desorption of CO and O2 interstellar ice analogs

Solid O2 has been proposed as a possible reservoir for oxygen in dense clouds through freeze-out processes. The aim of this work is to characterize quantitatively the physical processes that are involved in the desorption kinetics of CO-O2 ices by interpreting laboratory temperature programmed desorption (TPD) data. This information is used to simulate the behavior of CO-O2 ices under astrophysical conditions. The TPD spectra have been recorded under ultra high vacuum conditions for pure, layered and mixed morphologies for different thicknesses, temperatures and mixing ratios. An empirical kinetic model is used to interpret the results and to provide input parameters for astrophysical models. Binding energies are determined for different ice morphologies. Independent of the ice morphology, the desorption of O2 is found to follow 0th-order kinetics. Binding energies and temperature-dependent sticking probabilities for CO-CO, O2-O2 and CO-O2 are determined. O2 is slightly less volatile than CO, with binding energies of 912+-15 versus 858+-15 K for pure ices. In mixed and layered ices, CO does not co-desorb with O2 but its binding energies are slightly increased compared with pure ice whereas those for O2 are slightly decreased. Lower limits to the sticking probabilities of CO and O2 are 0.9 and 0.85, respectively, at temperatures below 20K. The balance between accretion and desorption is studied for O2 and CO in astrophysically relevant scenarios. Only minor differences are found between the two species, i.e., both desorb between 16 and 18K in typical environments around young stars. Thus, clouds with significant abundances of gaseous CO are unlikely to have large amounts of solid O2.Comment: 8 pages + 2 pages online material, 8 figures (1 online), accepted by A&

Entropic sampling dynamics of the globally-coupled kinetic Ising model

The entropic sampling dynamics based on the reversible information transfer to and from the environment is applied to the globally coupled Ising model in the presence of an oscillating magnetic field. When the driving frequency is low enough, coherence between the magnetization and the external magnetic field is observed; such behavior tends to weaken with the system size. The time-scale matching between the intrinsic time scale, defined in the absence of the external magnetic field, and the extrinsic time scale, given by the inverse of the driving frequency, is used to explain the observed coherence behavior.Comment: 8 page

Dynamic Phase Transition, Universality, and Finite-size Scaling in the Two-dimensional Kinetic Ising Model in an Oscillating Field

We study the two-dimensional kinetic Ising model below its equilibrium critical temperature, subject to a square-wave oscillating external field. We focus on the multi-droplet regime where the metastable phase decays through nucleation and growth of many droplets of the stable phase. At a critical frequency, the system undergoes a genuine non-equilibrium phase transition, in which the symmetry-broken phase corresponds to an asymmetric stationary limit cycle for the time-dependent magnetization. We investigate the universal aspects of this dynamic phase transition at various temperatures and field amplitudes via large-scale Monte Carlo simulations, employing finite-size scaling techniques adopted from equilibrium critical phenomena. The critical exponents, the fixed-point value of the fourth-order cumulant, and the critical order-parameter distribution all are consistent with the universality class of the two-dimensional equilibrium Ising model. We also study the cross-over from the multi-droplet to the strong-field regime, where the transition disappears