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Magnetostriction of some rare earth-aluminum Laves phase compounds

Journal Article · · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.326847· OSTI ID:5848717

Anisotropic magnetostriction measurements of some R-Al/sub 2/ (R=Gd, Dy, Ho and Er) compounds have been carried out from 4.2 K up to their Curie temperatures (T/sub c/). Magnetic fields (H) up to 2.5 Tesla were applied. The extrapolated (to 1/H=0 for H>1.4 Tesla) saturation magnetostrictions determined at 4.2 K are 17 x 10/sup -6/, -1420 x 10/sup -6/, 60 x 10/sup -6/ and -920 x 10/sup -6/ for GdAl/sub 2/, DyAl/sub 2/, HoAl/sub 2/ and ErAl/sub 2/, respectively. A dramatic reduction in the magnitude of the strain observed for HoAl/sub 2/ below 15 K may be associated with a change of easy direction of magnetization. For GdAl/sub 2/, the strains observed above the saturation are found to be strongly field-dependent. The temperature dependence of magnetostriction for DyAl/sub 2/ is interpreted in terms of the Callen and Callen's single-ion model. Large volume strains are obtained for these compounds (except for GdAl/sub 2/). An attempt is made to estimate the anisotropic volume constant h/sub 3/ at 4.2 K.

Research Organization:
Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260
OSTI ID:
5848717
Journal Information:
J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 50:B11; ISSN JAPIA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English