Magnetocrystalline anisotropy
= Magnetocrystalline anisotropy
Dependence of a <crystal>'s <magnetic energy> on <magnetization> direction relative to its lattice, commonly generated by spin-orbit coupling and the <crystal> environment. A half-filled orbital shell with $L=0$ suppresses first-order orbital anisotropy, although smaller admixture and dipolar effects can remain.