POTENTIAL CURVES AND ORIENTATIONAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF MAGNETIC-MOMENTS OF CHAIN-LIKE CLUSTERS COMPOSED OF SECONDARY PARTICLES

The present study investigates the potential curves of linear chainlik e clusters which are composed of secondary magnetic particles. The ori entational distributions of the magnetic moments of the primary partic les within the secondary particles are also clarified by means of the usual Monte Carlo method. The results obtained here can be summarized as follows, For the parallel arrangement, in which one cluster lies ju st beside the other, repulsive forces act between clusters and attract ive forces do not arise for any cluster-cluster separation. On the oth er hand, for the staggered arrangement, in which one cluster is shifte d relative to the other in the saturating field direction by the radiu s of secondary particles, attractive forces do act between clusters at short range. These forces become stronger as the clusters become long er and as the size of secondary particles increases, Although there is a potential barrier for the staggered arrangement, the height of the barrier is almost constant, irrespective of cluster length.