Fast magnetization switching of Stoner particles: A nonlinear dynamics picture

TL;DR

This paper analyzes magnetization switching in Stoner particles using nonlinear dynamics, revealing how damping and field direction influence the minimal switching field and reversal efficiency.

Contribution

It provides a nonlinear dynamics perspective on magnetization reversal, clarifying the role of damping, fixed points, and field direction in optimizing switching fields.

Findings

The SW limit is exact at infinite damping.

A critical damping value exists where the minimal switching field matches the SW limit.

Optimal field directions depend on damping and anisotropy, affecting reversal efficiency.

Abstract

The magnetization reversal of Stoner particles is investigated from the point of view of nonlinear dynamics within the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert formulation. The following results are obtained. 1) We clarify that the so-called Stoner-Wohlfarth (SW) limit becomes exact when damping constant is infinitely large. Under the limit, the magnetization moves along the steepest energy descent path. The minimal switching field is the one at which there is only one stable fixed point in the system. 2) For a given magnetic anisotropy, there is a critical value for the damping constant, above which the minimal switching field is the same as that of the SW-limit. 3) We illustrate how fixed points and their basins change under a field along different directions. This change explains well why a non-parallel field gives a smaller minimal switching field and a short switching time. 4) The field of a ballistic magnetization reversal should be along certain direction window in the presence of energy dissipation. The width of the window depends on both of the damping constant and the magnetic anisotropy. The upper and lower bounds of the direction window increase with the damping constant. The window width oscillates with the damping constant for a given magnetic anisotropy. It is zero for both zero and infinite damping. Thus, the perpendicular field configuration widely employed in the current experiments is not the best one since the damping constant in a real system is far from zero.