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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/L06225/01
Title: RELAXATION TIMES FOR SINGLE-DOMAIN FERROMAGNETIC PARTICLES
Principal Investigator: Crothers, Professor DSF
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Applied Maths & Theoretical Physics
Organisation: Queen's University of Belfast
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 October 1997 Ends: 31 December 2000 Value (£): 103,412
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Magnetism/Magnetic Phenomena
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Single-domain ferromagnetic particles are used in the magnetic-recording industry and in paleomagnetism. Thermal fluctuations cause the internal magnetic field to flip from one stable state to another; thus excessive temperature may cause instability. The internal distribution of magnetic-moment orientations is best described by the Fokker-Planck equation. By separating the variables and Laplace transforming, differential recurrence relations may be established even for asymptotic potentials expressed as a spherical-harmonic expansion. Such particles include those associated with external oblique magnetic fields, dipole-dipole interactions and cubic anisotropy, positive or negative. The time-evolution of the internal magnetic field and the critical correlation and relaxation times may all be parametrised by the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of an infinite matrix derived from the recurrence relations. Truncation of the matrix can lead to severe instability in the calculation, especially for large barrier heights. The latest diagonalisers and multiprecision techniques will be adapted to solve this problem. In addition, the multidimensional application of the method of steepest descent will be used to complement the physical understanding of the exact solutions. The ultimate goal is to assist the magnetic-recording industry, which includes Seagate Technology Ltd, London/derry.
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Organisation Website: http://www.qub.ac.uk