Surface spin-flop and the antiferromagnetic spin-flop transition

Abstract

The role of the surface spin-flop state in the antiferromagnetic spin-flop phase transition in Mn${\mathrm{F}}_2$ is examined. Demagnetizing and Lorentz fields are included in the analysis. It is shown that the surface spin-flop state is equivalent to an ordinary spin-flop domain residing at the surface of the crystal, and that the mechanism for bypassing the energy barrier between the bulk antiferromagnetic and spin-flop phases is domain formation.