Superparamagnetism and Monte Carlo simulations

Abstract

We revise the basic concepts beneath the idea of \textit{superparamagnetism} and the suitability of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to study superparamagnetic (SPM) properties. Starting with the description of the characteristic features of the single-domain SPM entities, their general magnetic-field and temperature-dependent magnetic properties are discussed. Then, the use of a MC technique for studying SPM properties is presented, starting with a general approach to MC methods and introducing the Metropolis algorithm as an adequate tool for reproducing SPM features. Special attention is paid to the role played by the \textit{computational time} MC steps on the simulations.

24 pages, 13 figures