Inhomogeneous states and the mechanism of magnetization reversal of a chain of classical dipoles

The inhomogeneous states (solitons) in a single chain of classical dipoles are studied numerically and analytically. An analytical solution to the pro blem is based on the long-wave approximation for dipole sums which holds fo r high magnetic fields perpendicular to the dipole chain. The analytical an d numerical solutions are in reasonable agreement. The magnetization revers al is investigated by numerical simulation based on the Landau-Lifshitz sto chastic equations. It is demonstrated that the magnetization reversal of a dipole chain at a finite temperature has a thermal activation nature and oc curs through the formation of a stable phase nucleus (a soliton at the edge of the chain) and its growth (the motion of the soliton along the chain). (C) 2001 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".