TY - JOUR
T1 - Magnetization studies of RMn6Ge6-xGax single crystals (R=Sc, Y, Gd-Lu; 0.63≤x≤1.00)
AU - Zhang, L.
AU - Klaasse, J. C.P.
AU - Brück, E.
AU - Buschow, K. H.J.
AU - De Boer, F. R.
AU - Yoshii, S.
AU - Kindo, K.
AU - Lefèvre, C.
AU - Venturini, G.
N1 - Funding Information:
Some of the authors (L. Zhang, E. Brück) are grateful to the Dutch Technology Foundation STW for financial support.
PY - 2004/12
Y1 - 2004/12
N2 - The magnetic properties of single crystals of rare-earth compounds of composition RMn6Ge6-xGax (x ≈ 1) have been studied. In these compounds, the Mn sublattice orders ferromagnetically with a preferred moment direction perpendicular to the c axis. In the compounds in which also the R component carries a magnetic moment, the latter couple antiparallel to the Mn moments. Upon cooling from room temperature to cryogenic temperatures, the R-sublattice anisotropy becomes the dominant contribution to the total magnetocrystalline anisotropy, which leads to a spin-reorientation transition at intermediate temperatures for R=Tb-Yb. At low temperatures, the preferred moment directions are characterized by an easy axis for R=Tb, Er, Tm, and Yb and by an easy cone for R=Dy and Ho. A satisfactory account of the observed preferred moment directions has been given in terms of crystal-field theory. Measurements of the magnetization in the main crystallographic directions have been made in high magnetic fields, up to about 55 T. The interplay between the antiferromagnetic intersublattice R-Mn coupling and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy leads to field-induced magnetic phase transitions which are particularly pronounced in the compounds with Ho, Er and Tm.
AB - The magnetic properties of single crystals of rare-earth compounds of composition RMn6Ge6-xGax (x ≈ 1) have been studied. In these compounds, the Mn sublattice orders ferromagnetically with a preferred moment direction perpendicular to the c axis. In the compounds in which also the R component carries a magnetic moment, the latter couple antiparallel to the Mn moments. Upon cooling from room temperature to cryogenic temperatures, the R-sublattice anisotropy becomes the dominant contribution to the total magnetocrystalline anisotropy, which leads to a spin-reorientation transition at intermediate temperatures for R=Tb-Yb. At low temperatures, the preferred moment directions are characterized by an easy axis for R=Tb, Er, Tm, and Yb and by an easy cone for R=Dy and Ho. A satisfactory account of the observed preferred moment directions has been given in terms of crystal-field theory. Measurements of the magnetization in the main crystallographic directions have been made in high magnetic fields, up to about 55 T. The interplay between the antiferromagnetic intersublattice R-Mn coupling and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy leads to field-induced magnetic phase transitions which are particularly pronounced in the compounds with Ho, Er and Tm.
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevB.70.224425
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevB.70.224425
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:13844270882
VL - 70
SP - 224425-1-224425-9
JO - Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
JF - Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
SN - 0163-1829
IS - 22
M1 - 224425
ER -