Element specific electronic states and spin-flip-like behavior of Ce in (Ce0.2Gd0.8)Ni composed of heavy fermion CeNi and ferri-magnet GdNi through XMCD method

Abstract

The electronic states of the three constituent elements in the crystal mixed system between CeNi and GdNi, Ce0.2Gd0.8Ni, were investigated by soft X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) with the aid of sum rule analysis. Not only Gd 4f but also Ni 3d and Ce 4f electrons were magnetic and both magnetic moments of Ni and Ce were coupled anti-parallel to the direction of the Gd magnetic moment, which is in accordance with the general rule in rare earth (RE)-transition metal (TM) systems. After saturation, Ce magnetic moment decreased over 2T and this behavior was explained by a spin-flip behavior of the Ce magnetic moment with keeping their electronic states unchanged. Furthermore, the magnetic field dependence on a part of the XAS at Ce M4,5 absorption edges, which had been observed in the Gd=0.5 disappeared in the present sample in Gd-rich content of 0.8 and this could be explained by the increase of molecular field from Gd on Ce 4f electrons. In addition, sum rule analysis has revealed that the magnetic moments of Gd 4f and Ni 3d electrons could retain small values of angular (orbital) magnetic moments µL and this was explained consistently.