Magnetic moments and Pu form factor in PuFe/sub 2/

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.37.5577· OSTI ID:5370378

Wulff, M; Lander, G H; Rebizant, J; Spirlet, J C; Lebech, B; Broholm, C; Brown, P J

Neutron diffraction experiments using both polarized and unpolarized beams have been performed on a small (40 mg) single crystal of /sup 239/PuFe/sub 2/. This material has the cubic Laves phase structure and is ferromagnetic at approx.560 K. The polarized-neutron experiments have shown that (a) the easy direction for both the Pu and Fe moments is <100>, (b) the moments are (0.39 +- 0.02)..mu../sub B/ and (1.73 +- 0.01)..mu../sub B/ for the Pu and Fe atoms, respectively, (c) the Fe form factor is the same as in iron metal, and (d) the form factor of Pu is very unusual. The Pu form factor is very different from that found recently in PuSb and cannot be analyzed with a straightforward crystal-field ground state. We suggest that hybridization effects, presumably in the main part between the 3d iron and 5f plutonium electrons, play a significant role in modifying the spin and orbital contributions that give rise to the unusual Pu form factor.

• Research Organization: European Institute for Transuranium Elements, Euratom, Postfach 2340 D-7500 Karlsruhe, Germany
• OSTI ID: 5370378
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States) Vol. 37:10; ISSN PRBMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104* -- Metals &amp; Alloys-- Physical Properties
ACTINIDE ALLOYS
ALLOYS
COHERENT SCATTERING
CRYSTAL FIELD
CRYSTAL LATTICES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
CUBIC LATTICES
DIFFRACTION
ENERGY LEVELS
FORM FACTORS
GROUND STATES
IRON ALLOYS
MAGNETIC MOMENTS
MONOCRYSTALS
NEUTRON DIFFRACTION
PARTICLE PROPERTIES
PLUTONIUM ALLOYS
POLARIZATION
SCATTERING