Magnetic Properties of Nonstoichiometric 4f–3d Intermetallics

Abstract

The structure, magnetic and magnetothermal properties have been studied for RM₂Mn_x (R is a rare earth element, M is Ni or Co) alloys. It is found that the concentration range of formation of single-phase cubic structure depends on the R element and reaches x = 2 for ErNi₂Mn_x. For all the studied systems, an increase in the Curie temperature and a decrease of magnetization at low temperature is observed. The results of studies of magnetic moment, coercivity, magnetostriction, and magnetocaloric effect are discussed in the assumption of formation of heterogeneous magnetic state due to the appearance of random magnetic anisotropy.