Systematic Analysis of Micromagnetic Switching Processes

Abstract

Guided by the properties of the Stoner-Wohlfarth model, the switching behavior of general inhomogeneous micromagnetic configurations is investigated. In most cases the extrapolation of a suitably defined local susceptibility to infinity is demonstrated to lead to the switching point. Only conventional tools of numerical micromagnetics are needed in this calculation. For certain, symmetric classes of switching events we have to resort to indirect methods to determine the switching fields. Examples for the successful application of the proposed methods to various switching phenomena in cube-shaped particles with uniaxial anisotropy are given to validate the procedures.