Magnetic properties of core–shell (1/2–3/2) nanoparticle: Monte Carlo simulation

•Compensation temperature emerges for particular values of single ion anisotropy.•Critical temperature increases with increasing size until reaching a saturation value.•Compensation temperature increases with increasing size until reaching a saturation value.•Triple hysteresis loops stretch out horizontally with increasing AF coupling.

In this work, a Monte Carlo simulation, based on standard Metropolis algorithm, has been applied to investigate magnetic properties of a ferrimagnetic nanoparticle, with a cubic shape and core–shell structure. The nanoparticle is constituted of spin-1/2 in the core surrounded by spin-3/2 in the shell. It has been shown that the exchange coupling plays an important role on the phase diagrams. Some interesting features have been observed for the temperature dependence of total magnetization curves of particle. In particular, the effects of the interface coupling and the shell coupling on both the compensation temperature and the magnetization profiles are investigated. In addition, the effect of the single ion anisotropy as well as the hysteresis loops behavior has also been discussed in detail.