On the R 5d band polarization in rare-earth–transition metal compounds

Abstract

Magnetic measurements and band structure calculations were performed on RT(2) and RT(5) compounds, where R is a heavy rare-earth and T = Fe, Co, Ni, Al, as well as on pseudobinary compounds GdCo(2 - x)A(x) (A = Ni, Cu, Si), YFe(2 - x)V(x) and YCo(4 - x)Ni(x)B. The calculated moments per formula unit described well the experimentally determined magnetizations. By considering the 4f-5d-3d exchange interactions, we evaluate the contributions of local 4f-5d and short range 5d-3d interactions to R 5d and Y 4d band polarizations. The 4f-5d induced polarizations are proportional to the De Gennes factor and are the same for a given R and a similar type structure. The R 5d and Y 4d band polarizations induced by R 5d-T3d or Y 4d-T3d hybridizations are proportional to the number of neighbouring T atoms, to a given R, and their magnetic moments. Previous results on the matter are also discussed.