Random Anisotropy Effect on Spin Reorientation Transition in Ultrathin Magnetic Films

Abstract

We investigate the random anisotropy effect on the spin structure of an ultrathin magnetic film with several monolayers by means of a Monte Carlo simulation. We find that, as the temperature is increased, the film exhibits a spin reorientation transition from an ordered state with the out-of-plane magnetization to an ordered state with the in-plane magnetization. We reveal that, in a pseudo-gap between the two ordered states, complex domains emerge and both the out-of-plane and the in-plane magnetizations vanish.