Magnetic Ainstropy

The three principal crystallographic directions in the (110) plane of a cubic material.

Domain structures in a single-crystal disk of iron

If a field H is now applied in the [010] direction, the [010] domain will grow

Continued application of the field eliminates all but the favored domain, and the crystal is now saturated

we conclude that our postulated domain structure is basically correct and, more generally, that the direction of easy magnetization of a crystal is the direction of spontaneous domain magnetization in the demagnetized state.

Domain structure when field is applied along [110] direction

Domain wall motion, in a low field, occurs until there are only two domains left each with the same potential energy. The only way in which the magnetization can increase further is by rotation of the Ms vector of each domain until it is parallel with the applied field

Crystal Anisotropy Energy

As the applied field must do work against the anisotropy force to turn the magnetization vector away from an easy direction, there must be energy stored in any crystal in which Ms points in a noneasy direction. This is called the crystal anisotropy energy E.

E can be expressed in terms of a series expansion of the direction cosines of Ms relative to the crystal axes. In a cubic crystal, let Ms make angles a, b, c with the crystal axes, and let 1, 2, 3 be the cosines of these angles, which are called direction cosines. Then

Crystal Anisotropy Energies for Various Directions in a Cubic Crystal

ANISOTROPY IN HEXAGONAL CRYSTALS

The hexagonal c axis is the direction of easy magnetization, and, within the accuracy of the measurements, all directions in the basal plane are found to be equally hard. Under these circumstances the anisotropy energy E depends on only a single angle, the angle u between the Ms vector and the c axis, and the anisotropy can be described as uniaxial.