Superparamagnetism and Monte Carlo simulations

We revise the basic concepts beneath the idea of $\mathit{\text{superparamagnetism}}$ and the suitability of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to study superparamagnetic (SPM) properties. Starting with the description of the characteristic features of the single-domain SPM entities, their general magnetic-field and temperature-dependent magnetic properties are discussed. Then, the use of a MC technique for studying SPM properties is presented, starting with a general approach to MC methods and introducing the Metropolis algorithm as an adequate tool for reproducing SPM features. Special attention is paid to the role played by the $\mathit{\text{computational}}\mathit{\text{time}}$ MC steps on the simulations.