Monte Carlo study of surface-frustrated Heisenberg thin films with magnetoelastic coupling: An off-lattice model

• Published in: Journal of applied physics Vol. 91; no. 10; pp. 8399 - 8401
• Main Authors: Ngo, V. T., Diep, H. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 15.05.2002
• ISSN: 0021-8979; 1089-7550
• DOI: 10.1063/1.1456443

We show extensive Monte Carlo (MC) results on properties of thin films made of stacked XY triangular layers of atoms bearing Heisenberg spins. The film surfaces are frustrated due to antiferromagnetic in-plane interactions, while interior layers are ferromagnetic. We have included both the cohesive and magnetic interactions between neighboring atoms. These simultaneous magnetic and cohesive interactions are supposed to be the Lennard-Jones potential. Due to these interactions, the magnetic atoms move around their equilibrium positions (off-lattice model). We have carried MC calculations with varying surface antiferromagnetic exchange interaction. Depending on parameters the surface spin configuration can be noncollinear and film surfaces become magnetically disordered at a temperature lower than that of interior layers. Detailed results on other properties are shown and discussed.