Dy substitution effect on the temperature dependences of magnetostriction in Pr1–xDyxFe1.9 alloys**Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. U1232210), the Science Foundation of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China (Grant No. 2015GXNSFBA139020), and the Enhancement of the Basic Ability of Teachers of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China (Grant No. KY2016YB068).

Abstract

The temperature dependences of magnetostriction in Pr1−xDyxFe1.9 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) alloys between 5 K and 300 K were investigated. An unusual decrease of magnetostriction with temperature decreasing was found in Pr-rich alloys (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2), due to the change of the easy magnetization direction (EMD). Dy substitution reduces the magnetostriction in high-magnetic field (10 kOe ≤ H ≤ 90 kOe) at 5 K, while a small amount of Dy substitution (x = 0.05) is beneficial to increasing the magnetostriction in low-magnetic field between 10 K and 50 K. This makes the alloys a potential candidate for low temperature applications.