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H. Kachkachi

Publications and source records attributed to H. Kachkachi.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2003

Magnetic nanoparticles as many-spin systems

We present a review of recent advances in the study of many-body effects in magnetic nanoparticles. Considering classical spins on a lattice coupled by the exchange interaction in the presence of the bulk and surface anisotropy, we investigate the effects of finite size, free boundaries, and surface anisotropy on the average and local magnetization for zero and finite temperatures and magnetic fields. Superparamagnetism of magnetic particles necessitates introducing two different, induced and intrinsic, magnetizations. We check the validity of the much used relation between them within different theoretical models. We show that the competition between the exchange and surface anisotropy leads to spin canting dependent on the orientation of the average magnetization with respect to the crystallographic axes and thus to a second-order effective anisotropy of the particle. We have also investigated the switching mechanism of the magnetization upon varying the surface anisotropy constant. Some cases of more realistic particles are also dealt with.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2003

Dynamics of a nanoparticle as a one-spin system and beyond

We review some recent results beyond the now established theory of magnetization switching of a nanoparticle within the single-spin approximation. The first extension is that of the Stoner-Wohlfarth model for magnetization static switching under applied magnetic field including the effect of temperature at long-time scales. The second concerns a generalization of the Néel-Brown model for thermoactivated dynamic magnetization switching to include the effect of exchange interaction in the framework of Langer's theory in the intermediate-to-high damping limit. We finally argue why the single-spin approximation is not appropriate for very small nanoparticles.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2003

Effect of exchange interaction on superparamagnetic relaxation

We use Langer's approach to calculate the reaction rate of a system of two (classical) spins interacting via the exchange coupling $J$ in a magnetic field $H$, with uniaxial anisotropy of constant $K$. We find a particular value of the exchange coupling, that is $j\equiv J/K = j_c\equiv 1-h^2$, where $h\equiv H/2K$, which separates two regimes corresponding to a two-stage and one-stage switching. For $j\gg j_c$ the Néel-Brown result for the one-spin problem is recovered.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2002

Hysteretic properties of a magnetic particle with strong surface anisotropy

We study the influence of surface anisotropy on the zero-temperature hysteretic properties of a small single-domain magnetic particle, and give an estimation of the anisotropy constant for which deviations from the Stoner-Wohlfarth model are observed due to non-uniform reversal of the particle's magnetisation. For this purpose, we consider a spherical particle with simple cubic crystalline structure, a uniaxial anisotropy for core spins and radial anisotropy on the surface. The hysteresis loop is obtained by solving the local (coupled) Landau-Lifschitz equations for classical spin vectors. We find that when the surface anisotropy constant is at least of the order of the exchange coupling, large deviations are observed with respect to the Stoner-Wohlfarth model in the hysteresis loop and thereby the limit-of-metastability curve, since in this case the magnetisation reverses its direction in a non-uniform manner via a progressive switching of spin clusters. In this case the critical field, as a function of the particle's size, behaves as observed in experiments.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2002

Surface contribution to the anisotropy of magnetic nanoparticles

We calculate the contribution of the Neel surface anisotropy to the effective anisotropy of magnetic nanoparticles of spherical shape cut out of a simple cubic lattice. The effective anisotropy arises because deviations of atomic magnetizations from collinearity and thus the energy depends on the orientation of the global magnetization. The result is second order in the Neel surface anisotropy, scales with the particle volume and has cubic symmetry with preferred directions [+-1,+-1,+-1].

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2001

Effect of surface anisotropy on the hysteretic properties of a magnetic particle

We study the influence of surface anisotropy on the zero-temperature hysteretic properties of a small single-domain magnetic particle, and give an estimation of the anisotropy constant for which deviations from the Stoner-Wohlfarth model are observed. We consider a spherical particle with simple cubic crystalline structure, a uniaxial anisotropy for core spins and radial anisotropy on the surface, and compute the hysteresis loop by solving the local Landau-Lifshitz equations for classical spin vectors. We find that when the surface anisotropy constant is at least of the order of the exchange coupling, large deviations are observed with respect to the Stoner-Wohlfarth model in the hysteresis loop and thereby the limit-of-metastability curve, due to the non-uniform cluster-wise reversal of the magnetisation.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2001

Spin-wave theory for finite classical magnets and superparamagnetic relation

Analytical calculations based on finite-size spin-wave theory and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations are performed to investigate the validity of the well-known relation m(H,T)=M(H,T)B_D[M(H,T)NH/T] between the induced magnetization m of the magnetic particle and its intrinsic magnetization M for the Ising and isotropic classical models [B_D(x) is the Langevin function, D is the number of spin components, N is the number of atoms in the particle]. It follows from general arguments and from our analytical results for the Heisenberg model at T << T_c that this relation is not exact for any finite D and nonzero temperature. Nevertheless, corrections to this formula remain very small practically in the whole range T > 1, as confirmed by our Monte Carlo calculations. At T <~ T_c/4 there is a good agreement between the MC and finite-size spin-wave calculations for the field dependence of m and M for the Heisenberg model with free boundary conditions.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2001

Magnetic free energy at elevated temperatures and hysteresis of magnetic particles

We derive a free energy for weakly anisotropic ferromagnets which is valid in the whole temperature range and interpolates between the micromagnetic energy at zero temperature and the Landau free energy near the Curie point T_c. This free energy takes into account the change of the magnetization length due to thermal effects, in particular, in the inhomogeneous states. As an illustration, we study the thermal effect on the Stoner-Wohlfarth curve and hysteresis loop of a ferromagnetic nanoparticle assuming that it is in a single-domain state. Within this model, the saddle point of the particle's free energy, as well as the metastability boundary, are due to the change in the magnetization length sufficiently close to T_c, as opposed to the usual homogeneous rotation process at lower temperatures.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2001

Boundary and finite-size effects in small magnetic systems

We study the effect of free boundaries in finite magnetic systems of cubic shape on the field and temperature dependence of the magnetization within the isotropic model of D-component spin vectors in the limit D \to \infty. This model is described by a closed system of equations and captures the Goldstone-mode effects such as global rotation of the magnetic moment and spin-wave fluctuations. We have obtained an exact relation between the intrinsic (short-range) magnetization M = M(H,T) of the system and the supermagnetization m = m(H,T) which is induced by the field. We have shown, analytically at low temperatures and fields and numerically in a wide range of these parameters, that boundary effects leading to the decrease of M with respect to the bulk value are stronger than the finite-size effects making a positive contribution to M. The inhomogeneities of the magnetization caused by the boundaries are long ranged and extend far into the depth of the system.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2000

Field dependence of the temperature at the peak of the ZFC magnetization

The effect of an applied magnetic field on the temperature at the maximum of the ZFC magnetization, $M_{ZFC}$, is studied using the recently obtained analytic results of Coffey et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 80}(1998) 5655) for the prefactor of the Néel relaxation time which allow one to precisely calculate the prefactor in the Néel-Brown model and thus the blocking temperature as a function of the coefficients of the Taylor series expansion of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The present calculations indicate that even a precise determination of the prefactor in the Néel-Brown theory, which always predicts a monotonic decrease of the relaxation time with increasing field, is insufficient to explain the effect of an applied magnetic field on the temperature at the maximum of the ZFC magnetization. On the other hand, we find that the non linear field-dependence of the magnetization along with the magnetocrystalline anisotropy appears to be of crucial importance to the existence of this maximum.

cond-mat↗
arXiv2000

Surface effects in nanoparticles: application to maghemite $γ$-Fe_{2}O_{3}

We present a microscopic model for nanoparticles, of the maghemite ($γ$% -Fe$_{2}$O$_{3}$) type, and perform classical Monte Carlo simulations of their magnetic properties. On account of Mössbauer spectroscopy and high-field magnetisation results, we consider a particle as composed of a core and a surface shell of constant thickness. The magnetic state in the particle is described by the anisotropic classical Dirac-Heisenberg model including exchange and dipolar interactions and bulk and surface anisotropy. We consider the case of ellipsoidal (or spherical) particles with free boundaries at the surface. Using a surface shell of constant thickness ($\sim 0.35$ nm) we vary the particle size and study the effect of surface magnetic disorder on the thermal and spatial behaviors of the net magnetisation of the particle. We study the shift in the surface ``critical region'' for different surface-to-core ratios of the exchange coupling constants. It is also shown that the profile of the local magnetisation exhibits strong temperature dependence, and that surface anisotropy is reponsible for the non saturation of the magnetisation at low temperatures.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv1999

Finite-size versus Surface effects in nanoparticles

We study the finite-size and surface effects on the thermal and spatial behaviors of the magnetisation of a small magnetic particle. We consider two systems: 1) A box-shaped isotropic particle of simple cubic structure with either periodic or free boundary conditions. This case is treated analytically using the isotropic model of D-component spin vectors in the limit $D\to \infty$, including the magnetic field. 2) A more realistic particle ($γ$-Fe$_{2}$O$_{3}$) of ellipsoidal (or spherical) shape with open boundaries. The magnetic state in this particle is described by the anisotropic classical Dirac-Heisenberg model including exchange and dipolar interactions, and bulk and surface anisotropy. This case is dealt with by the classical Monte Carlo technique. It is shown that in both systems finite-size effects yield a positive contribution to the magnetisation while surface effects render a larger and negative contribution, leading to a net decrease of the magnetisation of the small particle with respect to the bulk system. In the system 2) the difference between the two contributions is enhanced by surface anisotropy. The latter also leads to non saturation of the magnetisation at low temperatures, showing that the magnetic order in the core of the particle is perturbed by the magnetic disorder on the surface. This is confirmed by the profile of the magnetisation.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv1997

Magnetic and thermodynamic properties of Sr_{2}LaFe_{3}O_{9}

Using a Dirac-Heisenberg Hamiltonian with biquadratic exchange interactions, we study the effect of iron disproportionation on the magnetic ordering, and describe the first-order magnetic transition occurring in the perovskite Sr_{2}LaFe_{3}O_{9}. Upon fitting the experimental data, we give an estimate of the exchange integrals for the antiferromagntic and ferromagnetic interactions, in agreement with previous works on kindered compounds. Spin-wave theory yields a magnon spectrum with a gapless antiferromagnetic mode together with two gapped ferromagnetic ones.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv1996

Generalized Ginzburg-Landau theory for non-uniform FFLO superconductors

We derive a generalized Ginzburg-Landau (GL) functional near the tricritical point in the (T,H)-phase diagram for the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) superconducting state, in 1,2, and 3 dimensions. We find that the transition from the normal to the FFLO state is of second order in 1 and 2 dimensions, and the order parameter with one-coordinate sine modulation corresponds to the lowest energy near the transition line. We also describe in the one-dimensional case the transformation of the sine modulation into the soliton-lattice state as the magnetic field decreases. In 3 dimensions however, we find that the transition into an FFLO state is of first order, and it is impossible to obtain an analytic expression for the critical temperature. In this case the generalized GL functional proposed here provides a suitable basis for a numerical study of the properties of the FFLO state, and in particular for computing the critical temperature, and for describing the transition into a uniform state.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv1993

Induced Polyakov supergravity on Riemann surfaces of higher genus

An effective action is obtained for the $N=1$, $2D-$induced supergravity on a compact super Riemann surface (without boundary) $\hatΣ$ of genus $g>1$, as the general solution of the corresponding superconformal Ward identity. This is accomplished by defining a new super integration theory on $\hatΣ$ which includes a new formulation of the super Stokes theorem and residue calculus in the superfield formalism. Another crucial ingredient is the notion of polydromic fields. The resulting action is shown to be well-defined and free of singularities on $\sig$. As a by-product, we point out a morphism between the diffeomorphism symmetry and holomorphic properties.

hep-th↗