Self-organization of magnetic nanoparticles: a Monte Carlo study.

To understand the self-organization of magnetic nanocrystals in an applied field, we perform Monte Carlo simulations of Stockmayer fluids confined between two parallel walls. The system is examined in the gas-liquid coexistence region of its phase diagram and the field is applied perpendicular to the walls. Gibbs ensemble simulations are carried out to determine the phase coexistence curves of the confined Stockmayer fluid. In canonical simulations, different types of organizations appear dependent on particle density: columns, walls, and elongated and spherical holes. The morphology and size of structures are in good agreement with results obtained by free energy minimization and experiments. The influence of a distribution of particle sizes on the particle organization is investigated.