Effects of a perpendicular magnetic field in the dipolar Heisenberg model with dominant exchange interaction

The effects of a uniform magnetic field on the phase diagram of the dipolar Heisenberg model with a dominant antiferromagnetic exchange interaction have been investigated. The model consists of a square lattice of classical spin vectors, where the spins interact through an antiferromagnetic exchange interaction of strength J and a dipole-dipole interaction of strength g. The spins couple to a magnetic surface anisotropy of strength κ and to an applied external magnetic field of strength H. The external field is applied perpendicular to the plane of the lattice. From extensive Monte Carlo simulations, representative magnetic phase diagrams have been determined as a function of the ratios κ/g and T/g, where T is temperature, and at three different ratios of H/g (H/g = 10, 20, 27). These results are compared to the previously investigated case of H/g = 0 and to analytic calculations for the ground state energies. The nature of the equilibrium phases and order of the phase boundaries separating them are considered and changes due to the strength of the applied field are highlighted.