Abstract. The switching behaviour, under reversal of an external field, of a simple, ideal magnetic nanoparticle is studied and the interplay between antiferromagnets and ferromagnets elucidated. It is found that the switching between various multi- q ordering in fcc antiferromagnets (as found theoretically in NiO nanoparticles (Kodama and Berkowitz 1999 Phys. Rev. B 59 6321 and Lindgård 2003 J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 266 88)) in a field severely limits the exchange biasing potential. The interface between the different magnets is found to be that originally assumed by Meiklejohn and Bean (1956 Phys. Rev. 102 1413).

Print publication: Issue 47 (25 November 2009)
Received 21 May 2009, in final form 19 August 2009
Published 5 November 2009