Monte Carlo simulation of the irreversible growth of magnetic thin films

The growth of magnetic films with ferromagnetic interactions between neares t-neighbor spins is studied in (d+1)-dimensional rectangular geometries for d=1,2. Magnetic films are grown irreversibly by adding spins at the bounda ries of the growing interface. The orientation of the added spins depends o n both the energetic interaction with already deposited spins and the tempe rature through a Boltzmann factor. At low temperatures thin films, of thick ness L, are constituted by a sequence of well ordered magnetic domains. Spi ns belonging to each domain, of average length l(D)> >L, have mostly the sa me orientation, but consecutive domains have opposite magnetization. This k ind of "spontaneous magnetization reversal" during the growth process has a short characteristic length l(R), such that l(D)> >l(R)similar toL. At hig her temperatures, a transition between ordered and disordered states is als o observed. The emerging behavior is compared to that of the equilibrium Is ing model. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.