AC susceptibility and temperature modulation studies of gadolinium near the Curie point

Measurements of the ac susceptibility and temperature modulation studies of the ac and dc magnetic properties of polycrystalline gadolinium in the vicinity of the Curie point T_c are reported. Field-independent exchange-enhanced paramagnetism was observed above T_c. Below T_c the initial field-independent susceptibility was observed for applied fields < 8 A/m rms and exhibited a frequency dependence characteristic of a magnetic after-effect. Within about 3 K of T_c this susceptibility is strongly influenced by domain nucleation and a temperature dependent magnetic relaxation time was observed.