Magnetic correlations in nanostructured metals and an extended random-anisotropy model

Abstract

Small-angle neutron scattering experiments on nanostructured Fe reveal spatial magnetic correlations across the interfaces which depend strongly on grain size, with a minimum at around 35 nm. This grain size is comparable with Lcrit=πδ, with δ the bulk domain-wall width. We present an extended random-anisotropy model to explain the magnetic properties in the low grain size regime and explain the crossover of the magnetic properties for grain sizes comparable with Lcrit. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.