Magnetization in uniaxial spherical nanoparticles: consequence on the interparticle interaction

We investigate the interaction between spherical magnetic nanoparticles which present either a single domain or a vortex structure. First the magnetic structure of a uniaxial soft sphere is revisited, and then the interaction energy is calculated from a micromagnetic simulation. In the vortex regime the orientation of the vortex relative to the easy axis depends on both the particle size and the anisotropy constant. We show that the leading term of the interaction is the dipolar interaction energy between the magnetic moments. For particles presenting a vortex structure, we show that the polarization due to the dipolar field must be included. The parameters entering in the dipolar interaction are deduced from the magnetic behavior of the isolated particle.Comment: 4 pages, proceeding of the JEMS 2008. To be published in the Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03048853

Ferromagnetic order in dipolar systems with anisotropy: application to magnetic nanoparticle supracrystals

Single domain magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) interacting through dipolar interactions (DDI) in addition to the magnetocrystalline energy may present a low temperature ferromagnetic (SFM) or spin glass (SSG) phase according to the underlying structure and the degree of order of the assembly. We study, from Monte Carlo simulations in the framework of the effective one-spin or macrospin models, the case of a monodisperse assembly of single domain MNP fixed on the sites of a perfect lattice with fcc symmetry and randomly distributed easy axes. We limit ourselves to the case of a low anisotropy, namely the onset of the disappearance of the dipolar long-range ferromagnetic (FM) phase obtained in the absence of anisotropy due to the disorder introduced by the latter.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

Structure and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline PrCo3

The structure and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline PrCo$_3$ prepared by high-energy milling technique have been investigated by means of X-ray diffraction using the Rietveld method coupled to Curie temperature and magnetic measurements. The as-milled samples were subsequently annealed in temperature range from 750 to 1050 {\deg}C for 30 min to optimize the extrinsic properties. From x-ray studies of magnetic aligned samples, the magnetic anisotropy of this compounds is found uniaxial. The Curie temperature is 349 {\deg}K and no saturation reached at room temperature for applied field of 90 kOe. The coercive field of 55 kOe and 12 kOe measured at 10 and 293 K respectively is obtained after annealing at 750 {\deg}C for 30 min suggests that nanocrystalline PrCo$_3$ are interesting candidates in the field of permanent magnets. We have completed this experimental study by simulations in the micromagnetic framework in order to get a qualitative picture of the microstructure effect on the macroscopic magnetization curve. From this simple model calculation, we can suggest that the after annealing the system behaves as magnetically hard crystallites embedded in a weakly magnetized amorphous matrix. PACS : 75.50.Bb, 75.50.Tt, 76.80.+yComment: Published in Journal of Applied Physics, 107, 083916 (2010). To be found at: http://jap.aip.or

Magnetic and structural properties of nanocrystalline PrCo3_3

The structure and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline PrCo$_3$ obtained from high energy milling technique are investigated by X-ray diffraction, Curie temperature determination and magnetic properties measurements are reported. The as-milled samples have been annealed in a temperature range of 1023 K to 1273 K for 30 mn to optimize the extrinsic properties. The Curie temperature is 349\,K and coercive fields of 55\,kOe at 10\,K and 12\,kOe at 293\,K are obtained on the samples annealed at 1023\,K. A simulation of the magnetic properties in the framework of micromagnetism has been performed in order to investigate the influence of the nanoscale structure. A composite model with hard crystallites embedded in an amorphous matrix, corresponding to the as-milled material, leads to satisfying agreement with the experimental magnetization curve. [ K. Younsi, V. Russier and L. Bessais, J. Appl. Phys. {\bf 107}, 083916 (2010)]. The microscopic scale will also be considered from DFT based calculations of the electronic structure of $R$Co$_x$ compounds, where $R$ = (Y, Pr) and $x$ = 2,3 and 5.Comment: To be published in J. Phys.: Conference Series in the JEMS 2010 special issue. To be found once published at http://iopscience.iop.org/1742-659

Spherical magnetic nanoparticles: magnetic structure and interparticle interaction

The interaction between spherical magnetic nanoparticles is investigated from micromagnetic simulations and ananlysed in terms of the leading dipolar interaction energy between magnetic dipoles. We focus mainly on the case where the particles present a vortex structure. In a first step the local magnetic structure in the isolated particle is revisited. For particles bearing a uniaxial magnetocrystaline anisotropy, it is shown that the vortex core orientation relative to the easy axis depends on both the particle size and the anisotropy constant. When the particles magnetization present a vortex structure, it is shown that the polarization of the particles by the dipolar field of the other one must be taken into account in the interaction. An analytic form is deduced for the interaction which involves the vortex core magnetization and the magnetic susceptibility which are obtained from the magnetic properties of the isolated particle.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures Published in Journal of Applied Physics. To be found at: http://link.aip.org/link/?jap/105/07391

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Phase diagram for ensembles of random close packed Ising-like dipoles as a function of texturation

International audienceWe study random close packed systems of magnetic spheres by Monte Carlo simulations in order to estimate their phase diagram. The uniaxial anisotropy of the spheres makes each of them behave as a single Ising dipole along a fixed easy axis. We explore the phase diagram in terms of the temperature and the degree of alignment (or texturation) among the easy axes of all spheres. This degree of alignment ranges from the textured case (all easy axes pointing along a common direction) to the non-textured case (randomly distributed easy axes). In the former case we find long-range ferromagnetic order at low temperature but, as the degree of alignment is diminished below a certain threshold, the ferromagnetic phase gives way to a spin-glass phase. This spin-glass phase is similar to the one previously found in other dipolar systems with strong frozen disorder. The transition between ferromagnetism and spin-glass passes through a narrow intermediate phase with quasi-long-range ferromagnetic order

Size and polydispersity effect on the magnetization of densely packed magnetic nanoparticles

The magnetic properties of densely packed magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) assemblies are investigated from Monte Carlo simulations. The case of iron oxide nanoparticles is considered as a typical example of MNP. The main focus is put on particle size and size polydispersity influences on the magnetization curve. The particles are modeled as uniformly magnetized spheres isolated one from each other by a non magnetic layer representing the organic coating. A comparison with recent experimental results on $\gamma-$Fe$_2$O$_3$ powder samples differing by their size is given.Comment: To be published in the Journal of Applied Physics, to be found at http://jap.aip.org

Magnetic ordering of random dense packings of freely rotating dipoles

We study random dense packings of Heisenberg dipoles by numerical simulation. The dipoles are at the centers of identical spheres that occupy fixed random positions in space and fill a fraction $\Phi$ of the spatial volume. The parameter $\Phi$ ranges from rather low values, typical of amorphous ensembles, to the maximum $\Phi$=0.64 that occurs in the random-close-packed limit. We assume that the dipoles can freely rotate and have no local anisotropies. As well as the usual thermodynamical variables, the physics of such systems depends on $\Phi$. Concretely, we explore the magnetic ordering of these systems in order to depict the phase diagram in the temperature-$\Phi$ plane. For $\Phi \gtrsim0.49$ we find quasi-long-range ferromagnetic order coexisting with strong long-range spin-glass order. For $\Phi \lesssim0.49$ the ferromagnetic order disappears giving way to a spin-glass phase similar to the ones found for Ising dipolar systems with strong frozen disorder.Comment: 12 pages, 16 figures, 1 tabl