RKKY interaction

The Ruderman - Kittel - Kasuya - Yoshida interaction ( RKKY interaction ) describes the indirect exchange between the localized magnetic moments of the atoms of a metal. The coupling of the magnetic moments via the polarization of the spin of the conduction electrons.

Since the coupling mechanism ( the spin polarization ) shows oscillatory behavior, the solid arranged depending on the distance between the atoms ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic.

Simplified one could imagine this as follows: is an electron in the vicinity of a magnetic atom, it sets its spin off after this. The electron moves now continues through the solid, the spin polarization of the electrons in turn can cause an orientation of the magnetic moment of the closest atoms.

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