The Effect of Structural Inhomogeneities and Gas-Forming Impurities on the Functional Properties of High Purity Rare-Earth Metals

Rare-earth metals (REM) gadolinium and dysprosium, and also the Gd–H and Dy–H systems in which magnetic order–order and order–disorder phase transitions are accompanied by significant magnetocaloric effect, have been studied. The materials have been prepared in various structural states. It is stated that there is a substantial difference of their functional properties in the dependence on the features of the structural state and also on the existence of a gas-forming impurity. It has been proved experimentally and theoretically that the Curie temperatures of Gd samples with grain sizes of ~200 nm increases as a result of hydrogenation, while the magnetic phase transition temperatures of Dy are almost unchanged Inhomogeneities.     

Magnetic rare earth superlattices

Advances in molecular beam epitaxy deposition techniques have recently made it possible to grow, an atomic plane at a time, single crystalline superlattices composed of alternating layers of a magnetic rare earth, such as Gd, Dy, Ho, or Er, and metallic Y, which has an identical chemical structure. The primary goal of this article is to review the new and interesting magnetic structures which have been discovered in these novel superlattice systems and to consider what implications the observed phases have on our understanding of the underlying microscopic magnetic interactions. In particular, the effects of the artificial periodicity or compositional modulation, finite layer thickness, and epitaxial strain on the resulting long range magnetic order of Gd-Y, Dy-Y, Ho-Y, Er-Y, and Gd-Dy superlattices are described.     

Low-temperature anomaly of the magnetization in alloys (Pr,Dy,<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>(Fe,Co)<Subscript>14</Subscript>B (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis> = Gd,Sm, Nd)

It has been found that temperature dependences of the saturation magnetization of sintered hard magnetic (Pr,Dy,M)₂(Fe,Co)₁₄B (M = Gd, Sm, Nd) alloys demonstrate an increase at a temperature lower than a critical temperature (150 K for Sm and Nd and 70 K for Gd). An additive of copper does not influence the critical temperature. It has been assumed that there is a low-temperature phase in which cobalt is replaced with boron that diffuses from the (Pr,Dy,Gd)(Fe,Co)₄B phase to the near-surface region of grains of the main magnetic (Pr,Dy,Gd)₂(Fe,Co)₁₄B phase.     

Investigation of the impurity hyperfine field polarization in polycrystalline Rare Earth ferromagnets

Time differential perturbed angular correlation spectra of¹¹¹Cd in ferromagnetic polycrystalline Dy have been measured at 4.2 K in external magnetic fields up to 60 kG. The experimental data were well reproduced by a calculation which assumed that the angular distribution of the magnetic hyperfine fields is identical to that of the magnetic moments of the 4f-shells. The distribution of the 4f-moments was derived from magnetic anisotropy data. The results of this work seem to justify the application of the integral perturbed angular correlation technique for the determination of magnetic hyperfine fields in incompletely polarized ferromagnetic samples. The magnetic hyperfine fields of¹⁷⁷Hf:Gd and¹⁷⁷Hf:Dy have been measured by this method as:H _hf(Hf:Gd)=–375(60)kG andH _hf(Hf:Dy)=–225(45)kG.     

Magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity of some Th2Zn17-type rare-earth zinc phases

We report measurements of the magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity of the iostructural compounds RE₂Zn₁₇ (RE=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu). The composition dependence of the lattice parameter and effective moment indicate that all the RE ions are trivalent except Yb which is divalent. Magnetic order is observed in compounds where RE=Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho and Er. A second transition is seen for RE=Pr, Ho, Sm and Tb. Superzone boundary effects are observed in the electrical resistivity of these four alloys as well as in Er₂Zn₁₇. Resistivity measurements reveal concentrated Kondo behavior (or 4f instability) of Ce in Ce₂Zn₁₇.     

Interaction of thin silicon layers with the (0001) surface of rare-earth metals

The electronic and crystalline structures of the systems formed upon deposition of silicon layers onto the Gd(0001) and Dy(0001) surfaces of single-crystal films annealed subsequently at T=450–500°C have been studied by low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and also by the Auger electron and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of the valence band and the Si(2p) core level. It is shown that the systems thus produced can be described as starting single-crystal films of Gd and Dy, with 3D islands of the silicides of these metals on the surface of the corresponding metalfillms.     

Magnetic and superconducting properties of rare earth osmium stannides

We present data on the magnetic and superconducting properties of rare earth osmium stannides. The compounds of Tb and Ho are superconducting only, those of Er and Tm are reentrant superconductors, and those of Gd and Dy appear to exhibit some type of short range magnetic order at low temperatures.     

Hyperfine interactions in intermetallic compounds between Gd and 3d transition metals

Measurements of hyperfine interactions at ¹⁵⁵Gd nuclei in metallic compounds between Gd and 3d transition metals and at ⁶¹Ni in GdNi compounds by Mössbauer spectroscopy are reported. The results are discussed in terms of various models proposed for the electronic structure of these compounds. The Gd isomer shifts with respect to metallic Gd are at variance with the model of a strong d electron transfer from rare earths to transition metal ions. From the observation of a linear relation between magnetic hyperfine fields at Gd and at Dy nuclei in corresponding compounds it is inferred that crystal-field induced variations of Dy moments are neglible and that the conduction electron polarization induced by 4f moments is directly related to that caused by 3d moments.     

FORMATION AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF NEW COMPOUNDS R3Fe29-xCrx(R=Y,Ce,Nd,Sm,Gd,Tb,and Dy)

A systematic investigation of structure and magnetic properties of the new R₃Fe_29-xCr_x compounds(R=Y,Ce,Nd,Sm,Gd, Tb,and Dy)has been performed. The Curie temperature of R₃Fe_29-xCr_x increased with increasing atomic number fromR=Ce to Gd and de creased from Gd to Dy. The saturation magnetization of R₃Fe_29-xCr_x at 4.2 K decreased gradually with increasing atomic number from R=Y to Dy,except for Ce. The spin reorientations of the easy magnetization d irection were observed at around 230 K for Nd₃Fe_24.5Cr_4.5 and 180 K for Tb₃Fe_28.0Cr_1.0,and the magnetohistory effects were obser ved for Nd₃Fe_24.5Cr_4.5 and Sm₃Fe_24.0Cr_5.0 in a low field of about 0.04 T. First order magnetization process occurs in magnetic field of around 2.3 T at room temperature for Tb₃Fe_28.0Cr_1.0. The saturation magnetization of Y₃Fe_27.2Cr_1.8 at 4.2 K is 52.2μ_B/f.u., which corresponds to an average magnetic moment of 1.92μ_B per each Fe atom.     

Magnetocaloric effect and magnetic phase transitions in nanocrystalline rare-earth metals: Tb, Dy, and Gd

The magnetocaloric effect of rare-earth metals (REMs) Gd, Tb, and Dy in the nanostructured state is investigated. The ranges of working temperatures and cool capacity for materials based on nanocrystalline REMs are calculated from the experimental data. These results enable us to evaluate in detail the magnetic properties of REMs in a nanocrystalline state. It is shown that nanocrystalline Dy possesses the largest cool capacity, making this material most effective for magnetic cooling in the temperature range of 82–134 K.     

Magnetic properties of R3Co29Si4B10 (R=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd and Dy) borides

The crystal structure and magnetic properties of quaternary rare-earth intermetallic borides R₃Co₂₉Si₄B₁₀ with R=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd and Dy have been studied by X-ray powder diffraction and magnetization measurements. All compounds crystallize in a tetragonal crystal structure with the space group P4/nmm. Compounds with R=La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm are ferromagnets, while ferrimagnetic behavior is observed for R=Gd and Dy. The Curie temperatures vary between 149 K and 210 K. The Curie temperatures in R₃Co₂₉Si₄B₁₀ (R=Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Dy) compounds are roughly proportional to the de Gennes factors.     

Sensitive element of the magnetic field sensor based on three-layer film system Co/X/Co (X = Dy,Gd)

We report on the results of investigation of magnetoresistive properties of Co/Dy/Co and Co/Gd/Co film systems that can be used as the sensitive element of a magnetic field sensor. It is shown that various fields of application can be chosen depending on the magnetic characteristics.     

High pressure μSR studies: rare earths and related materials

After a short introduction to μSR with respect to the study of magnetic properties, followed by a brief outline of the principle of the high pressure-low temperature μSR spectrometer installed at the Paul Scherrer Institute, we discuss some measurements on rare earth materials employing this instrument. They are concerned with: (1) The pressure dependence of the spin turning process in ferromagnetic Gd. (2) The volume dependence of the internal magnetic field in the heavy rare earth metals Gd, Dy, and Ho in their ordered magnetic states. (3) The response of the (first order) magnetic transition in the frustrated antiferromagnets of type RMn₂ (R = Y,Gd) to pressure. (4) The variation of magnetic parameters with pressure in La₂CuO₄ (powder sample), the antiferromagnetic parent compound of the high T_C superconductors of type La_2−x(Sr, Ba)_xCuO₄. In conclusion a short outlook on further developments is given. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Magnetic anisotropy in Fe/rare‐earth multilayers

Magnetic anisotropy of Fe/RE multilayers (RE=Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) was studied using ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was observed in Fe/Pr, Fe/Nd, Fe/Tb, and Fe/Dy multilayers. The external field dependence of the direction of magnetic moments was also examined for Fe/Tb multilayers. The results imply that the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy originates from the single ionic anisotropy of RE at the interfaces.     

Magnetic behavior of 3d dopants in superconducting REBa2Cu3−xFexO7+δ (RE=Dy, Er)

Mössbauer studies on ⁵⁷Fe-doped superconducting REBa₂Cu₃O_7+δ (RE=Er, Dy) were made as a function of temperature for x=0.15 and 0.30. The magnetic behavior of the 3d dopants, which mainly occupy Cu(1) sites, undergoes antiferromagnetic ordering which is coexistent with superconductivity at low temperature. The dimensionality of the magnetic interaction changes from 2D to 3D when the rare earth changes from Er to Dy. the line-widths of the Mössbauer subspectra are characteristic of magnetic fluctuation behavior in the vicinity of a phase transition. Combining these results with those of Fe-doped Y-123 (pseudo 1D) and Gd (3D), the magnitude of the rare earth moments appears to be strongly correlated with the dimensionality of the magnetic interaction of Fe dopants in these compounds. However, the Mössbauer spectrum for ¹⁵⁵Gd in GdBa₂Cu_2.85Fe_0.15O_7+δ (T_{N(Fe) 14 K}) shows no magnetic order at 4.9 K.     

Polarized neutron reflectometry of Fe/Cr/Gd superlattices

The magnetic structure of Fe/Cr/Gd superlattices is investigated using complementary methods of SQUID magnetometry and polarized neutron reflectometry. The complex magnetic behavior of the given system is caused by exchange interaction between the 3d (Fe) and 4f (Gd) layers of the ferromagnetic metals through the Cr antiferromagnetic spacer layer. It is found that a nonuniform profile of magnetization forms within the Gd layers under the influence of this interlayer interaction.     

Induced magnetic phase transitions in rare-earth intermetallic compounds RMn2Ge2 in ultrastrong magnetic fields

The differential magnetic susceptibility of intermetallic compounds RMn₂Ge₂ (R=Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Y) with a layered tetragonal structure is measured in pulsed magnetic fields up to 130 T. It is found that all these compounds undergo a first-order magnetic phase transition in strong magnetic fields. The nature of this transition is discussed, and it is found that a change in the magnetic state of the manganese sublattice is responsible for the transition.     

Magnetocaloric effect in R2Fe17 (R=Sm,Gd, Tb,Dy, Er)

A series of R₂Fe₁₇ (R=Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Er) have been synthesized. The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) of these compounds has been investigated by means of magnetic measurements in the vicinity of their Curie temperature. The Curie temperature of Er₂Fe₁₇ is 294 K. The maximum magnetic entropy change of Er₂Fe₁₇ under 5 T magnetic field is ∼3.68 J/kg K. In the R₂Fe₁₇ (R=Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Er) system, the maximum magnetic entropy change under 1.5 T magnetic field is 1.72, 0.89, 1.32, 1.59, 1.68 J/kg K corresponding to their Curie temperature (400, 472, 415, 364, 294 K), respectively.     

RAMAN SCATTERING OF Dy/Y RARE EARTH SUPERLATTICE

We report the observations of Raman scattering of the TO phonon modes from the different layers in Dy/Y rare earth superlattices. It is found that helical phase lock-in transition at about 50 K in the Dy/Y superlattice is accompanied by the softening of TO phonons from both Dy magnetic layers and Y nonmagnetic layers.     

The Magnetic Hyperfine Field of 111Cd in the Rare Earth–Nickel Laves Phases RNi2

The magnetic hyperfine field of ¹¹¹Cd in the C15 Laves phases RNi₂ has been investigated by perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy as a function of temperature for the rare earth constituents R = Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Tm.