Influence of the cubic anisotropy constants on the hysteresis loops of single-domain particles: A Monte Carlo study

The influence of the first and second cubic anisotropy constants on the hys teresis loops of noninteracting single-domain magnetic particles is studied by Monte Carlo simulation, which turns out to be a very powerful method fo r studying simple magnetic models. Both signs in the anisotropy constants a re taken into account. Relevant properties such as coercivity and remanence are studied as a function of temperature when the second anisotropy consta nt is negligible. The influence of the second term of the anisotropy energy is studied in detail for T = 0 K. It is concluded that this term has a big influence on the static magnetic behavior when the first anisotropy consta nt is negative. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)0700 4-8].