Note on the magneto-optical properties of some Fe-rich ternary rare-earth compounds and UFe 10Si 2

Abstract

The polar Kerr effect was measured at room temperature in the energy range 0.5–5 eV in several Fe-rich ternary compounds of the ThMn 12 structure (YFe 10T 2 with T = Cr, Mo, W, Si; RFe 10V 2 with R = Nd, Gd, Dy, Er; YFe 12−xV x with x = 1.4, 2.2, 3.3; RFe 10Si 2 with R = Lu, Gd, Tb, Dy; UFe 10Si 2 and the Nd 2Fe 14B structure (R 2Fe 14C with R = Nd, Gd, Lu). It was found that the Fe sublattice is the main contributor to the Kerr effect at room temperature. Indications were obtained that the U sublattice also contributes to the Kerr effect in UFe 10Si 2.