Magnetostriction of SmMn2Ge2 and GdMn2Ge2 intermetallic compounds

Longitudinal and transverse magnetostrictions of polycrystalline samples of intermetallic compounds RMn₂Ge₂ (R=Sm or Gd) are measured in pulsed magnetic fields up to 250 kOe. It is found that linear magnetostrictive strains of about 10^?3 arise in a temperature range in which the magnetic field causes a change in the magnetic state of a manganese magnetic subsystem. The results obtained are described within the model of a two-sublattice ferrimagnet with a negative exchange interaction in the manganese subsystem in terms of a strong dependence of this interaction on interatomic distances.