Magnetic properties of ternary rare-earth transition-metal compounds

Abstract

Abstract Ternary alloys of the type R–T–X, where R is a rare earth element, T is magnetic transition metal, usually Fe, Co or Ni, and X is a nonmagnetic main-group element from columns V, VI or VII of the periodic table, exhibit a rich variety of magnetic properties. The R and T atoms occupy different crystallographic sites and form distinct magnetic sublattices. In many cases, magnetic ordering temperatures are well above room temperature, and the family includes practically useful functional magnetic materials. This chapter first discusses compounds with structures based on the NaZn13, ThMn12, BaCd11, Th2Zn17, Th2Ni17, CaCu5 and CeNi3 binary structures, and then considers ternary structure types including RCo12B6, R2Fe14C, CeCo4B4, R6Fe11Ga3, RT12P7 and RNi4Au. Data include lattice parameters, intrinsic magnetic properties such as atomic magnetic moments, magnetization, magnetic order, Curie, Neel and compensation temperatures (in some ferrimagnetic compounds) and also crystal field parameters for rare earth sites. In isostructural series of compounds with different rare earths, compounds with nonmagnetic rare earths Y, La or Lu enable the behavior of the transition metal sublattice(s) to be isolated.