Micromagnetic investigation of low-symmetry 3D particles

Investigating the anisotropies of magnetic nanoparticles is crucial for further development of magnetic data storage media, MRAM, magnetic logical circuits, or magnetic quantum cellular automata. Former theoretical and experimental examinations have revealed the possibility to gain highly symmetric nanoparticles with increased numbers of magnetic states per storage element. In a recent project, we have investigated low-symmetry T-shaped 2D and 3D particles from iron using the micromagnetic simulation software MAGPAR which is based on solving the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation of motion for a mesh built from tetrahedral finite elements. To examine the influence of the reduced symmetry, simulations were performed on the 3D double-T particle with the field applied in different directions in the x-y base plane, ranging from 0 to 180° in 5° steps. Additionally, the external magnetic field was rotated laterally under different angles with respect to the x-y plane, i.e. 5°, 22.5°, and 45°. Similar simulations were executed for the 2D single-T particle. Our results show the strong impact of the shape anisotropy and the respective possibility to tailor magnetic anisotropies according to the desired behaviour by modifying the nanoparticles' form.