Crystallographic and magnetic properties of ternary nitrides of the type RCo 10Mo 2N x

Abstract

The magnetic and crystallographic properties of rare earth-based interstitial nitrides of the type RCo 10Mo 2N x (R = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Y) were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, high-field measurements and a.c. susceptibility measurements. From X-ray diffraction it was derived that the interstitial hole filling remains substantially below one nitrogen atom per formula unit RCo 10Mo 2N x . We determined the easy magnetization direction in these compounds and found that the Co sublattice anisotropy favours an easy moment direction along the c-axis. The rare earth sublattice anisotropy is governed by a positive value of the second-order crystal field parameter. The large uniaxial anisotropy and the atomic disorder favour the occurrence of a thermally activated intrinsic coercivity in some of the nitrides.