Micromagnetic analysis of spin-reorientation transitions. The role of magnetic domain structure

A method for calculating micromagnetic state of ferro- or ferrimagnetic single-crystals based on the Néel's method of phases is proposed. The standard Néel technique requires different approaches to calculation of micromagnetic state of samples with different anisotropy types. Furthermore, this technique cannot be used to calculate magnetization curves of materials with a complex anisotropy type, in which the first-order magnetization process (FOMP) occurs. On the contrary, the technique proposed in the present work makes it possible to calculate micromagnetic state of a sample within one unified approach. This technique has no limitations in terms of the anisotropy type as well. In case of the FOMP, the simulation methods that we used show results different from conventional calculation methods. The reason is that the conventional methods imply coherent rotation of magnetization in single domain particle (so-called Stoner–Wohlfarth model). We explain this discrepancy by the fact that a magnetic domain structure appears in the region of the FOMP. In the present work we show that magnetization processes do not occur in a jump under the FOMP but gradually pass though nucleation and new high-field phase growing, which substitutes for the low-field phase.