Study of the influence of surface anisotropy and lattice structure on the behaviour of a small magnetic cluster

We have studied by Monte Carlo simulations the thermal behaviour of a small (N = 13 particles) cluster described by a Heisenberg model, including nearest-neighbour ferromagnetic interactions and radial surface anisotropy, in an applied magnetic field. We have studied three different lattice structures: hexagonal close packed, face centered cubic and icosahedral. We show that the zero-field thermal behaviour depends not only on the value of the anisotropy constant but also on the lattice structure. The behaviour in an applied field, additionally depends, on the different orientations of the field with respect to the crystal axes. According to these relative orientations, hysteresis cycles show different step-like characteristics. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.