Neutron Diffraction Investigation of the Magnetic Properties of Compounds of Rare-Earth Metals with Group V Anions

Abstract

The magnetic properties of heavy rare-earth compounds with the NaCl-type structure have been investigated at temperatures between 295 and 1.3°K by neutron diffraction experiments on powdered specimens. All of the nitrides except TmN have a net ferromagnetism at low temperatures, but the diffraction patterns indicate a complicated type of magnetic order. HoP also has an unusual magnetic structure at low temperatures and this structure is presumably stabilized by dipole forces. The other phosphides, antimonides, and arsenides were found to have magnetic ordering transitions to the Mn-O type of antiferromagnetic structure. Low values of the atomic moments and large magnetic anisotropies in the ordered magnetic structures indicate the effects of crystal field interactions at low temperatures.