Magnetic properties of 2D nano-islands II: Ising spin model with out-of-plane magnetic field

An Ising effective field theory model is presented to calculate the magnetic properties of 2D nano-islands on a nonmagnetic substrate, subject to an externally out-of-plane applied magnetic field. The system Hamiltonian contains nearest neighbor exchange interactions, single-atom magnetic anisotropies, and the Zeeman term. The calculations yield, in particular, the single site spin correlations, the magnetizations, and the isothermal susceptibilities, for the core and periphery domains of the nano-island. The choice of a spin S=1 for the atoms of the system permits the analysis of local spin fluctuations via the single site spin correlations. We investigate in this respect the effects due to the different magnetocrystalline anisotropies and reduced dimensionalities, for the core and periphery domains, and in particular the critical influence of the applied magnetic field. Detailed theoretical results are presented for the square and hexagonal lattice symmetries, with numerical applications for the 2D monolayer Co nano-islands on a Pt substrate. It is shown that the remarkable differences between the magnetic properties of the core and periphery domains in zero field are washed out when an out-of-plane field is applied. The applied field also provokes critical discontinuities for the spin correlations and magnetization reversals, for the core and periphery domains, which are especially evident for the hexagonal lattice nano-island in the range of fields of interest. The discontinuities and magnetization reversals occur over elementary temperature widths, and shift to lower temperatures with increasing field. The field-dependant isothermal susceptibilities show new features very different from those for the susceptibilities in zero field. The present Ising model does not show any blocking temperature transition to superparamagnetism.

► An EFT model is presented to calculate the magnetic properties of 2D nano-islands.
► The Hamiltonian contains n–n interactions, magnetic anisotropies, and the Zeeman term.
► Single site spin correlations, magnetizations, isothermal susceptibilities, are found.
► The hexagonal core and periphery domains of the nano-island form two shells.
► Magnetization reversals occur over elementary temperature widths at T