Phase diagram of ultrathin ferromagnetic films with perpendicular anisotropy. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Ultrathin ferromagnetic films with perpendicular spin anisotropy can possess an alternating up-down stripe-domain structure, with widths L. Considering the two inequivalent types of stripe domains to form a single unit, this structure may be thought of as a two-dimensional smectic crystal. It is subject to a weak stripe orientation energy. With increasing temperature the domain system changes from a smectic crystal phase to an "Ising nematic" phase, and then to a "tetragonal liquid" phase. We discuss its possible phase diagrams, in, T) space. This sequence of phases can occur whether or not the system ultimately undergoes a spin reorientation transition to a planar phase. 1995 The American Physical Society.

published proceedings

  • Phys Rev B Condens Matter

author list (cited authors)

  • Abanov, A., Kalatsky, V., Pokrovsky, V. L., & Saslow, W. M.

citation count

  • 166

complete list of authors

  • Abanov, A||Kalatsky, V||Pokrovsky, VL||Saslow, WM

publication date

  • January 1995