Biased switching in an interacting pair of magnetic particles

The switching dynamics in a pair of coupled magnetic particles is studied numerically via the Landau-Liftshitz-Gilbert form of a set of damped gyromagnetic equations. The effects of dipolar interaction between the particles, anisotropy energy, switching and a small bias field are included. Initial conditions in which the moments are parallel and antiparallel to each other are considered. The presence of a small transverse bias field and inter-particle coupling assists in the switching of a moment. Due to the complicated interplay among different factors, the switching in one particle may lead to a corresponding precession of moment in a neighboring particle. We show that different final configurations may be attained depending on the inter-particle separation and the initial configuration. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.