The physics of magnetization

Abstract

Experimental observations recently reported in Nature are in accord with the concept that spin orientation is a permanent feature of the spin carrier. It follows that magnetization is realized by rearrangement of the crystal structure. The rearrangement occurs by the general contact nucleation-and-growth mechanism.

Expanded version of the article published in Fundamentals of Solid-State Phase Transitions, Ferromagnetism and Ferroelectricity, DirectScience Press (2010)