The Physical Origin of Weiss molecular field (The Exchange Interaction)

The Weiss molecular field made it possible to explain a wide range of phenomenon observed in ferromagnetism. At first, it was supposed to be due to a simple nearest neighbour dipole interaction. Such an interaction would give rise to a field of the order of 103 Gauss. B 3 10 Gauss 3 a where a is the interatomic distance in a ferromagnetic crystal. On the other hand, for a Curie temperature Tc=1000K, the exchange field is approximately found to be

H ex = 10 7 Gauss
This discrepancy shows that a simple model based on dipole-dipole interaction cannot account for ferromagnetism. Actually a much stronger type of interaction is needed.

The Physical Origin of Weiss molecular field (The Exchange Interaction)

Heisenberg solved this problem. According to him the large Weiss molecular field can be explained in terms of the so-called EXCHANGE INTERACTION between the electron spins. The energy of interaction (The Exchange energy) for ions i, j having spins Si, Sj can be written as
ij Eex = 2 JSi .S j

and the total exchange energy of spin I with its nearest neighbours may be written as

E = 2 J Si .S j
ij ex j =1

where J is called the exchange integral and is a measure of the strength of interaction.

The Physical Origin of Weiss molecular field (The Exchange Interaction)

In general the exchange integral is negative and hence a nonferromagnetic state is favored. However, for a ferromagnetism, it must be positive. In ferromagnetism where parallel orientation of spins is favored, Eex is minimum and Si.Sj=S2 Similarly, Eex is maximum when spins are antiparallel and Si.Sj= -S2 It is possible to determine the exchange integral experimentally as a function of the ratio of the interatomic spacing (a) to the unfilled shell of the radius r. For transition metals this is represented by the following curve.

The Physical Origin of Weiss molecular field (The Exchange Interaction)

It is possible to determine the exchange integral experimentally as a function of the ratio of the interatomic spacing (a) to the unfilled shell of the radius r. For transition metals this is represented by the following curve. According to Slater, the ratio a/r 3 (but not very large) must be satisfied for the occurrence of ferromagnetism. Fe, Co, Ni and Gd satisfy the above criterion and are found to be ferromagnetic. Cr and Mn fail to satisfy the above criterion and are not ferromagnetic.
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The Physical Origin of Weiss molecular field (The Exchange Interaction)

Hence the necessary and sufficient conditions for ferromagnetism are the existence of incomplete internal atomic shells and the positive exchange integral.
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FERROMAGNETIC DOMAINS

FERROMAGNETIC DOMAINS

Hysteresis loop of a ferromagnetic material

DOMAIN THEORY (OROGIN OF DOMAIN)

The physical origin of domains may be understood from the general thermodynamic principle that the FREE ENERGY F=E-TS of a system should be minimum. A Ferromagnetic material has high degree of order and magnetization MMs(0) below Tc. Thus ENTROPY term can be neglected from the free energy expression. F=E Thus minimum free energy means minimum total internal energy. The knowledge of which would be sufficient to understand the existence of domains.

DOMAIN THEORY (OROGIN OF DOMAIN)

Landau and Lifshitz have shown that the domain structure is a natural consequence of various energies contributing towards the total energy of ferromagnet. They are (1) The Exchange Energy (2) The Magnetic Field Energy (3) The Anisotropy Energy (4) The Domain Wall or Bloch Wall Energy 1. THE EXCHANGE ENERGY The Exchange energy is minimum when the spins are parallel because Exchange Integral is positive in case of ferromagnetic materials. Spontaneous magnetization occurs due to this energy. This energy establishes the existence of a single domain in a specimen. The exchange energy favors an indefinitely large domain since it is minimum when all spins are parallel.

2. THE MAGNETIC FIELD ENERGY The magnetic energy arises because the magnetized specimen has free poles at the ends and thus produce external field H. Magnitude of this energy is

(1 / 8 ) H 2 d

Value of this energy is very high and can be reduced if the volume in which external field exists is reduced and can be eliminated if the free poles at the ends of the specimen are absent.

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3. THE ANISOTROPY ENERGY The magnetic field required to magnetize a single crystal ferromagnetic material depends on direction.

The difference in magnetic energy to produce saturation in an easy and a hard direction is called the crystal anisotropy energy

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4. BLOCH WALL ENERGY

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4. BLOCH WALL ENERGY

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4. BLOCH WALL ENERGY

The effect of this energy on the wall is to reduce its thickness, because the thicker the wall, the more dipoles point in the hard direction.

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4. BLOCH WALL ENERGY

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