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Magnetism and Magnetic Materials: Course Outline (PH-620)

Magnetism and Magnetic Materials provides an important forum for the disclosure and discussion of original contributions covering the whole spectrum of topics

Course Outline

  • Introductory magnetism.
  • Review of diamagnetism and paramagnetism.
  • Quantum mechanical treatment of magnetism. 
  • Brillouin Function.
  • Curie Law and applications.
  • Pauli paramagnetism.
  • Wave functions of magnetic ions (3d, 4f). 
  • Spin-orbit coupling.
  • Crystal field effects. 
  • Jahn-Teller theorem.
  • Thermodynamics of magnetism. 
  • Free energy and entropic considerations.
  • Adiabatic demagnetizationFerro and Antiferromagnetism.
  • Basic Phenomenon.
  • Mean Field Theory.
  • Thermodynamics of ferromagnetic systems.
  • Quantum mechanical treatment.
  • Exchange interactions.
  • Heisenberg and Ising model.
  • Indirect exchange (superexchange and RKKY).
  • Spin excitations.
  • Spin waves.
  • Magnons.
  • Application to the temperature dependences of magnetization an specific heat.

Course Outline

  • Band ferromagnetism.
  • Criteria for band ferromagnetism.
  • Examples of metallic ferromagnets.
  • Anti-Ferromagnetism.
  • Basic phenomenon.
  • Mean Field treatment.
  • Type I, Type II Antiferromagnets.
  • Parallel and perpendicular susceptibilities. 
  • Spin flop transition.
  • Ferrites.
  • Applications of ferrites.
  • Domain Structures and related properties of ferromagnetsMagnetic Anisotropy. 
  • Basic phenomenology.
  • Uniaxial.
  • Cubic and surface Anistropies. 
  • Effects in bulk materials and thin films. 
  • Domain Formation.
  • Domain wall width.
  • Relation to magnetic anisotropy.900, 1800 dmain walls.
  • Observation of domains.
  • Domain wall motion.
  • Pinning of domain walls. 
  • Magnetization in soft and hard magnets. 
  • Magnetization reversal mechanisms.
  • Coherent modes of spin reversal.
  • Finite size effects Single Domain Particles and their Magnetic Properties. 
  • Anisotropies.
  • Coercive fields and magnetization Stoner- Wohlfarth theory. 
  • Superparamagnetism and time decay of magnetization.
  • Neel-Brown models.
  • Exchange bias effects. 
  • Dynamic response and applications of single domain particles in magnetic recording.
  • Reversal mechanisms in single domains.
  • Thin films and surface effects.

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