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Research & Reviews : Journal of Physics

Orientation of Easy Axis of Ferromagnetic Films as Explained by Third Order Perturbed Heisenberg Hamiltonian

  1. P. Samarasekara
  2. Prabhani Rajakaruna

Abstract

The third order perturbed Heisenberg Hamiltonian has been applied to explain themagnetic easy axis orientation. Ferromagnetic CoPt/AlN multilayer thin films withnumber of layers N=11, 16 and 21synthesized on fused quartz substrates using dcmagnetron sputtering technique have been employed as experimental data. According toexperimental research performed by some other researchers, easy axis of these fccstructured ferromagnetic films is oriented in the plane of the film above one particulartemperature. Average value of out of plane spin component was plotted againsttemperature in order to determine the spin reorientation temperature. The spinreorientation temperature was highly sensitive to 2nd order magnetic anisotropy constant.Keywords: Heisenberg Hamiltonian, easy axis, ferromagnetic, 3rd order perturbation
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