Magnetic configurations in thin films with competing interactions

Abstract

In this work, the ground state configurations of magnetic thin films and some finite size magnetic elements are studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations. For this purpose, we have set up a code to simulate Ising and Heisenberg spin classical models on squared and triangular lattices including exchange (J), dipolar (g) interactions and magnetocrystalline anisotropy (K). We show how the interplay between short and long-ranged interactions stabilizes stripe-like patterns similar to those observed experimentally. Phase diagrams in the (J=g, T) and (K=g, T) planes are presented and the corresponding reorientation transitions are characterized, stressing the differences when comparing different lattices. Finally, the magnetic configurations obtained for thin films are compared to those for systems of finite-size, demonstrating that our code can be used also to study the properties of nanoscale elements.