PERIODIC DIAMAGNETIC DOMAIN-STRUCTURES IN METALS UNDER A QUANTIZING MAGNETIC-FIELD

The spatial distributions of magnetization (i.e., domain structures du e to magnetic interaction) in metals under conditions of strong de Haa s-van Alphen (dHvA) oscillations at any magnetic field within the peri od of magnetic oscillations (PMO) are investigated. At fields away fro m the center of the PMO the distribution of magnetization is markedly different from the well-known strictly symmetrical domains, which exis t only at the center of the PMO. For temperatures near the diamagnetic phase transition distributions of magnetization without sharp domain walls are found. Similar results are predicted for domain structures i n uniaxial ferroelectrics or ferromagnetics. The discovered structures are strongly asymmetrical with narrow spikelike domains separating wi de domains of opposite magnetization. Spike-like domains of more compl ex structures, which may be important in kinetic processes, are obtain ed at sufficiently low temperatures. In contrast to the existing theor y, which yields a temperature-independent magnetic susceptibility belo w the phase transition, we find a minimum in the spatially averaged di fferential susceptibility just below the phase transition, which refle cts strong interactions between diamagnetic domain walls. The form and magnitude of the calculated dHvA oscillations is in good agreement wi th the experimentally observed magnetic oscillations in gold, which ex hibit significant deviations from the Lifshitz-Kosevich theory.