Numerical micromagnetics: prolate spheroids

Magnetization patterns during reversal in a ferromagnetic prolate spheroid with a 2:1 aspect ratio were studied by a numerical micromagnetics scheme for a range of material parameters. Some of the results are quite analogous to those observed previously in the authors' (1988) study of a ferromagnetic sphere. Because of the shape anisotropy of the spheroid, certain switching mechanisms found for the sphere were not seen. However, new states, whose dominant features are most easily interpreted in terms of a complex domain wall structure, are found. The reversal process is governed by these states when they occur, and the process is quite complex.>