PHASE SEPARATION OF FERROFLUIDS IN APPLIED FIELD

We have analyzed the ground state of a ferrofluid by minimizing the dipolar-dipolar interaction energy of the system. The uniform, or random like phase is not stable and will be decomposed into a stripe phase when an external field is applied. The energy as a function of the optimum thickness of columns in stripe phase and in thickness of the cell as well as the volume fraction is studied.