Abstract
Magnetization measurements performed on a single crystal of the tetragonal ferrimagnetic compound are presented together with their quantitative analysis. Between K and a spin reorientation temperature K, the spontaneous magnetization is along the crystallographic c direction. Below the spontaneous magnetization progressively shifts away from c and is directed between this axis and the [100] direction. The results are rather well accounted for by considering the iron sublattice characteristics measured on a single crystal and diagonalising the rare earth Hamiltonian through a system of coupled equations. A set of crystalline electric field (CEF) parameters and Er-Fe exchange field coefficient is proposed. It is shown that the spin reorientation does not come from a competition between iron anisotropy and the effect of the second order CEF parameter acting on the rare earth, as is frequently observed in this type of compounds. It results rather from the interaction between (i) the effect of these two contributions both of which favour the c axis, and (ii) that of the fourth order CEF terms, in particular , which favour an intermediate direction of magnetization. The relative importance of this latter contribution is greatest at low temperature.
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