Coherent magnetization reversal of nanoparticles with crystal and shape anisotropy

We discuss coherent magnetization reversal in single-domain particles with cubic or uniaxial crystal anisotropy and present the derivation and simulation of the nucleation field in the important case of particles with shape anisotropy and a random orientation of a cubic crystal anisotropy axis. We analyze the interplay of shape and crystal anisotropy as a function of crystal orientation with respect to the applied field. In addition, we present simulations for particles with uniaxial crystal anisotropy and derive the values for remanence and coercive field of an ensemble of particles from calculated hysteresis loops in each case. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.