antiferromagneticadj.n.
A. adj.
Characterized by oppositely directed (or anti-parallel) alignment of electron spin.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > quantum theory > electron spin > magnetism attributed to electron spin > [adjective]
ferromagnetic1896
antiferromagnetic1936
ferrimagnetic1951
speromagnetic1973
paramagnetic1994
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > magnetism > types of magnetism > [adjective] > characterized by opposite alignment
antiferromagnetic1936
1936 Sci. Abstr. A. XXXIX. 548 Cases where interchange action occurs, but with a positive coefficient, are indicated as antiferromagnetic.
1938 Physical Rev. 54 82/1 Manganese probably is an antiferromagnetic substance.
1949 Physical Rev. 76 1257/1 At absolute zero all of the atoms on one lattice have their electronic magnetic moments aligned in the same direction and all of the atoms on the other lattice have their moments antiparallel to the first. Above the Curie temperature the thermal energy is sufficient to overcome the tendency of the atoms to lock antiparallel... Materials exhibiting the characteristics described above have been designated ‘antiferromagnetic’.
B. n.
A magnetic substance with these properties. L. Néel 1932, writing in French in Ann. Phys. XVIII. 5f., introduced the idea of antiferromagnetism but did not use the words antiferromagnétique, -magnétisme.
ΚΠ
1955 Sci. News 37 36 In ferro-, antiferro-, or ferri-magnetics the alignment of atomic magnets is ordered and periodic.
Derivatives
ˌantiferroˈmagnetism n. the quality of being antiferromagnetic; the phenomena exhibited by antiferromagnetic bodies.
ΚΠ
1938 F. Bitter in Physical Rev. 54 79 The proposed equations of state..may be regarded as an attempt to describe antiferromagnetism (i.e., the case in which oppositely directed spins on adjacent atoms have the lowest energy).
1961 Encycl. Dict. Physics I. 222/1 The state of complete antiferromagnetism (antiparallel alignment of spin vectors) will be attained only at absolute zero.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1972; most recently modified version published online June 2011).
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adj.n.1936