Dipolar ordering and domains in crystals of Mn$_{12}$ Ac molecular magnets

TL;DR

This study investigates dipolar-induced ferromagnetic ordering in Mn12Ac molecular magnets, revealing domain formation, domain wall behavior, and shape-dependent magnetic properties through Monte Carlo simulations.

Contribution

It demonstrates the occurrence of dipolar ferromagnetic order at 0.36 K in Mn12Ac crystals and analyzes domain structures and effects of crystal shape on magnetic behavior.

Findings

Ordering occurs at 0.36 K, below the mean-field Curie temperature.

Domains form with walls preferring diagonal orientation.

Crystal shape influences domain size and hysteresis behavior.

Abstract

Dipolar coupling in crystals of the Mn$_{12}$Ac molecular magnet elongated along the anisotropy axis favors ferromagnetic ordering below the mean-field Curie temperature 0.71 K. With the help of Monte Carlo on crystals of up to one million Mn$_{12}$ molecules, it is shown that ordering occurs at 0.36 K. The resulting state is split into ferromagnetic domains with domain walls preferring the diagonal orientation. Domain walls are pinned by the lattice at low temperatures. Making the crystal shorter makes domains finer and smoothens out the singularity at the transition, decreasing susceptibility in the domain state. Hysteresis loops look ferromagnetic for prolate crystals and antiferromagnetic for oblate crystals.