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Effect of partial substitution of Tb on the spin reorientation of the Er sub 2 minus x Tb sub x Fe sub 14 B system

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics; (USA)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.347949· OSTI ID:5690309
 [1];  [2]
  1. Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, McKeesport, Pennsylvania 15132 (USA)
  2. Mellon Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213 (USA)

Numerous articles have been published concerning spin reorientation in R{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B (R=rare earth) compounds. Previous measurements have suggested the presence of axial, conical, and planar regions in the magnetic phase diagrams. In the present systems the magnetization versus temperature (10--300 K) has been measured for aligned Er{sub 2{minus}{ital x}}Tb{sub {ital x}}Fe{sub 14}B samples for {ital x}=0, 0.2, 0.5, and 1.5 in applied fields of 0--15 kOe. Transitions were determined from the inflection point as obtained from the derivative of the magnetization versus temperature. Earlier theoretical predictions of the magnetic phase diagrams for Er{sub 1.8}Tb{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 14}B indicate that both plane-to-cone and cone-to-axis transitions should be present. Spin reorientations were observed at 194 K for plane to cone and at 212 K for cone to axis, in agreement with the predicted values. There was a weak-field dependence in the transition temperatures, and the strength of the transitions steadily decreased with increasing field. In the case of Er{sub 1.5}Tb{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 14}B, a cone-to-axis spin reorientation was observed at 78 K, again in agreement with the predicted value. Er{sub 0.5}Tb{sub 1.5}Fe{sub 14}B was axial through the 10--290-K temperature range. Thermal hysteretic effects for the transition temperatures were observed upon heating and cooling in an applied field. Detailed results of the spin reorientation for Er{sub 2{minus}{ital x}}Tb{sub {ital x}}Fe{sub 14}B are discussed in terms of the second-order crystal-field effect and exchange interaction.

OSTI ID:
5690309
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; (USA) Vol. 69:8; ISSN 0021-8979; ISSN JAPIA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English