Surface critical properties of a face-centered cubic magnetic films

Abstract The novel properties of a Heisenberg model on a face-centered cubic lattice (FCC) are investigated by Monte Carlo simulation. Spontaneous magnetization, magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and spin configuration are calculated for both the bulk and surface. The dependence of the critical temperature τc on the ratio of surface to bulk coupling Js/Jb and the size of the system are studied. It is found that a critical value (Js/Jb)c, where the surface and bulk magnetization simultaneously vanish, depends on the specific model. A variety of phase diagrams have also been obtained. The simulated results are consistent with those derived by mean field theory with transfer matrix method, and well explain the experimental facts.