Influence of 3d-doping on the correlation between electronic structure and magnetism in Ho(Fe1-xCox)3 intermetallics

Abstract

The series of polycrystalline Ho(Fe1-xCox)3 intermetallic compounds adopting rhombohedral PuNi3-type of crystal structure have been analyzed. The partial replacement of Fe by Co atoms is reflected in the variation within the total value of saturation magnetic moment MS from 5.21 μB/f.u (x = 0.0) to 5.60 μB/f.u (x = 1.0) and simultaneous decrease of the Curie temperature TC from about 573 K (x = 0.0) to 371 K (x = 1.0). The composition dependence of the Curie temperature TC(x) and compensation temperature Tcomp(x) is related with the change in the number of 3d electrons. The valence band spectra as well as the core level lines have been analyzed at room temperature by the use of X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). The slight modification within valence bands near the Fermi level dominated by hybridized (Fe/Co)3d states has been discussed. The analysis of 3s spectra has been performed based on multiplet splitting. The evolution of Mössbauer spectra at 300 K and 80 K and estimated hyperfine parameters versus Fe/Co doping can be associated with the itinerant electron model.