Extremely broad hysteresis in the magnetization process of α-Dy2S3 single crystal induced by high field cooling

Abstract

α-Dy2S3 possesses orthorhombic crystal structure having two crystallograpically inequivalent Dy sites. Magnetization process of α-Dy2S3 single crystal after cooling in the high magnetic field of 18 T has been investigated. The magnetization under the field of 18 T along the α-axis on the cooling process from 150 K shows step-like rises at 70 and 40 K and reaches about 9 μB per one Dy3+ at 1.5 K. This value, which corresponds to 90 % of full saturation moment of Dy3+, is much larger than 6 μB obtained at the same conditions after cooling in no magnetic field (zero-field cooling; ZFC). After cooling to 1.5 K, the magnetization while decreasing field shows abrupt drops at 3.0 and 1.7 T, and then comes to 0 μB at 0 T. Subsequently, while increasing field, the magnetization demonstrates a similar curve to that obtained after ZFC without step-like rise below 13.1 T. At μ0H = 13.1 T, the magnetization rises suddenly and agrees with the curve for the decreasing process. This irreversible magnetization process yields extremely broad hysteresis having width of μ0ΔH = 11.4 T. Broader hysteresis and narrower one are also observed at 4.2 and 10 K, respectively.