Surface resistance and effective permeability of rare earth metals at microwave frequencies

Abstract

The surface resistance of single crystal terbium, dysprosium and holmium has been measured at microwave frequencies and at low temperatures. The results are combined with electrical resistivity measurements to yield an effective microwave permeability μR as a function of temperature. It is found that μR remains close to unity except for pronounced peaks in the neighbourhood of the Curie and Neel temperatures. The data on μR are used to obtain estimates of enhancement factors for nuclear magnetic resonance in the three metals. An anomalous absorption effect in powdered terbium is briefly discussed.