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Experimental and theoretical study of the magnetic and structural properties of Er0.75Tb0.25Al2

TitleExperimental and theoretical study of the magnetic and structural properties of Er0.75Tb0.25Al2
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2010
AuthorsKhan M, Mudryk Y, Paudyal D, Gschneidner KA, Pecharsky VK
Journal TitlePhysical Review B
Volume82
Pages064421
Date Published8/20
ISBN Number1098-0121
Accession NumberISI:000281064300006
Keywordsaluminum, anisotropy, electronic-structure, field, laves phase-compounds, spin, systems
Abstract

The Er0.75Tb0.25Al2 alloy has been investigated by x-ray powder diffraction, magnetization, and ac magnetic-susceptibility measurements. The low-field magnetization measured as a function of temperature indicates a ferromagnetic transition at similar to 36 K and another transition with thermal hysteresis at similar to 18 K. The ac magnetic-susceptibility measurements show frequency dependence below the ferromagnetic transition temperature, T-C. Low-temperature x-ray powder-diffraction measurements suggest that although no structural transformation occurs around 18 K, a steplike anomaly in the lattice parameters does exist in the vicinity of the transition. First-principles electronic-structure calculations show anomalous density of states at the Fermi level. The results are comparable with the previously reported Er0.75Dy0.25Al2 alloy, thus supporting an earlier assumption that mixing two rare-earth ions with opposite signs of second-order Steven's factor in RAl2 alloys creates a competition between the magnetoelastic and quadrupolar interactions, giving rise to multiple magnetic ordering phenomena.
URL<Go to ISI>://000281064300006
DOI10.1103/Physrevb.82.064421