Vortex Patterns in Layered Magnets with Nonmagnetic and Magnetic Impurities

• Published in: Physica status solidi. A, Applied research Vol. 189; no. 3; pp. 983 - 987
• Main Authors: Bogdan, M.M., Zaspel, C.E.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin WILEY-VCH Verlag Berlin GmbH 01-02-2002; WILEY‐VCH Verlag Berlin GmbH; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: 75.30.Hx; 75.75.+a; 76.30.-v; 76.30.Da; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electron paramagnetic resonance and relaxation; Exact sciences and technology; Ions and impurities: general; Magnetic impurity interactions; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetic properties of nanostructures; Magnetic resonances and relaxations in condensed matter, mössbauer effect; Magnetically ordered materials: other intrinsic properties; Physics; Two-dimensional systems; Nonmagnetic impurities; Layered crystals; Antiferromagnetic materials; Solitons; Ferromagnetic materials; Heisenberg model; Vortex antivortex pair; Lattice parameters; Magnets; Transition elements; Vortices; Spin exchange; Magnetic impurities; Copper; Exchange interactions; Manganese
• ISSN: 0031-8965; 1521-396X
• DOI: 10.1002/1521-396X(200202)189:3<983::AID-PSSA983>3.0.CO;2-O

Effects of a single‐atom impurity on a small vortex‐like soliton are studied in the two‐dimensional (2D) Heisenberg model of layered magnets. In the 41 × 41 spin lattice with exchange parameters corresponding to the 2D easy‐plane copper ferromagnet and the easy‐axis manganese antiferromagnet a vortex‐like structure and its energy are calculated in the presence of a single nonmagnetic or magnetic impurity. It is found that the in‐plane and out‐of‐plane vortices are attracted to and centered on the impurity in the easy‐plane magnet up to the almost isotropic limit. Layered Cu‐halide compounds are found to be good candidates for experimental observation of stable, fixed vortex–antivortex patterns.