Course: PHY- 2035 (Condensed Matter Physics)

M.Sc. 2nd Semester

Course teacher: Dr. Sulochana Deb

Department of Physics, Gauhati University

Lecture note -4

Topic: Molecular Field Theory of Ferromagnetism

Ferromagnetic materials (Fe, Co, Ni, Gd, alloys) present very strong magnetization, also in
the absence of external field, i.e. they present spontaneous magnetization. Spontaneous
magnetization implies cooperation between the atomic dipoles within a single domain, i. e.
there must be some kind of interaction between the atoms which produces the magnetic
dipoles. In order to obtain a phenomenological description of spontaneous magnetization,
Weiss assumed that the molecular field Hm acting on a given dipole may be written in the
form:

Hm = H + γ M --------------(1)

Where H is the applied field, M is the magnetization and γ is the molecular field or Weiss
constant.

Consider a solid containing N atoms per unit volume, each with a total angular momentum
quantum number J (which includes the total orbital contribution L and the total spin
contribution S).

The resultant magnetization is given by

( ) -----------------------(2)

Where for paramagnetic solids ⁄ ----------------------(3)

For ferromagnetic materials, H is replaced by Hm

Therefore, ( )⁄ ----------------------(4)

As long as we are interested in spontaneous magnetization, H=0 and we may write,

----------------------(5)

M satisfies both equations (2) and (5), its value at a given temperature may be obtained from
the point of intersection of the two corresponding M versus x curves as shown in figure (1)
below.

Equation (5) represents a straight line; the slope of the line is proportional to T. From the
figure, it follows that for
 (i) T< θf, one can obtain a non-vanishing value for M, although the external field
H=0

Hence for T< θf , spontaneous magnetization results.

(ii) T= θf , the slope of the straight line represented by equation (5) is equal to that of
the tangent of curve (2) at the origin.
(iii) the spontaneous magnetization vanishes.

Fig. 1. Schematic representation of the method for finding the spontaneous magnetization at
a temperature T.

It will be evident that there must exist a relation between the Curie temperature and the
molecular field constant γ.

increases with γ because the tendency for parallel alignment increases as γ becomes larger.

( ) is the Brillouin function given by

( )
( ) ( ) ( )-----------------(6)

For (near the origin in fig. 1) we have

( )
( ) ----------------(7)

Therefore (2) =>

( )
 ( )

Hence the tangent of curve (eq. 2) at the origin has a slope equal to NgµB (J+1)/3. Putting this
equal to the slope of curve (eq. 5) for T= one obtains

( )

( ) --------------------(8)

Where µ is the total magnetic moment per atom. Hence is proportional to the molecular
field constant γ.

Let us consider the susceptibility in the region well above the ferromagnetic Currie
temperature. In this region magnetization occurs only when an external field H is applied
because there is no spontaneous magnetization.

Thus, for fields low enough so that we are far away from saturation, and
( )
( ) , For

From eq. (2),

( ) ( )
------------------------------(9)

Substituting x in eq. (9), we get

( )
( )⁄

( )( ) ( )

( )

Where,

is the Curie constant

And is the Curie temperature

Therefore,

This is Curie- Wiess law.

Temperature dependence of the spontaneous Magnetization:

The component of an atomic dipole associated with a quantum number J in any given
direction is gJµB.

Hence the maximum value of the spontaneous magnetization is given by NgJµB.

Where N is the number of atoms per unit volume.

This also follow from eq. (2) for x , the Brillouin function BJ (x) . Maximum
spontaneous magnetization occurs when T=0.

Therefore, NgJµB=M (0)

And M(T) / M (0) = BJ (x)

Where M (T) is the magnetization at a temperature T.

Similarly from eq. (5),

( ) ( )
( )⁄
( )

[ ( ) ]

M(T)/M(0) is plotted as function of T/ . Fig. 2 represents such curves for J=1/2, J=1 and
J= . The experimental point shows that for Fe, Ni and Co, the curve for J=1/2 fits the best,
indicating that the magnetization is essentially associated with the electron spins rather than
the orbital momentum of the electron.
 Fig. 2 Spontaneous magnetization for Fe, Ni and Co as a function of temperature

Anisotropy Energy:

In a single ferromagnetic crystal, it is found experimentally that the relationship between the
magnetising field and the magnetization M depends upon the direction of magnetization in
the crystal. Ferromagnetic materials have ‘easy’ and ‘hard’ direction of magnetization.

Easy direction is the direction inside a crystal, along which small applied magnetic field is
sufficient to reach the saturation magnetization.

Hard direction is the direction inside a crystal, along which large applied magnetic field is
needed to reach the saturation magnetization.

The difference in magnetic energy to produce saturation in an easy direction and hard
direction is called crystal anisotropy energy.
 Fig, 3 Magnetization curve for different direction of field relative to the crystal axes

In fig. 3 magnetization curve for iron with the applied field directed along different
crystallographic axes have been shown. It is obvious from the figure that much greater field is
needed to produce magnetic saturation in [111] direction compared to the field required in
[100] direction.

For iron easy directions of magnetization are cube edges [100]. In nickel, which is also cubic
the easy directions of magnetization body diagonals.

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