Fermi surface effects in terbium alloys

Abstract

Work is reported which was conducted to test of the relation of the generalized susceptibility (and therefore, the ordering properties) for Tb to the Fermi energy of Tb. In order to properly analyze the data a simple theory was developed to account for the effects on band structure which accompany alloying and attendant lattice size changes. Using this simple theory, the alloys of Tb with Mg are understood as a combination of Fermi energy lowering and of lattice contraction. The tendency of Th to promote the ferromagnetic structure in Th is understood as a combination of the Fermi energy being raised and of the lattice being expanded. The theory was also useful in explaining the interesting behavior of the Tb with Yb alloys which upon preliminary analysis did not seem to follow the theoretical predictions. After consideration of the volume effect, indeed the Tb with Yb alloys showed promotion of the helical structure as predicted. The complicated behavior of the Tb with Yb alloys is a case where the volume and valence effects compete. Results show that the magnetic ordering properties of the rare earths are intimately related to the Fermi surface geometry through the generalized susceptibility.