Dimensional effects in ultrathin magnetic films

TL;DR

This study uses Monte Carlo simulations to explore how the critical magnetic properties of ultrathin multilayer films change from two-dimensional to three-dimensional behavior as the number of layers increases, revealing a spin-orientation transition.

Contribution

It provides a numerical analysis of dimensional effects on critical properties in multilayer Heisenberg films, including anisotropy effects and a spin-orientation transition.

Findings

Critical exponents show a transition from 2D to 3D behavior with increasing layers.

A spin-orientation transition to a planar phase occurs in the crossover region.

Anisotropy effects due to substrate crystal fields influence critical properties.

Abstract

Dimensional effects in the critical properties of multilayer Heisenberg films have been numerically studied by Monte Carlo methods. The effect of anisotropy created by the crystal field of a substrate has been taken into account for films with various thicknesses. The calculated critical exponents demonstrate a dimensional transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional properties of the films with an increase in the number of layers. A spin-orientation transition to a planar phase has been revealed in films with thicknesses corresponding to the crossover region.