Role of 4 f electrons in crystallographic and magnetic complexity

Article

关键词: EARTH;    TRANSITION;    SYSTEMS;   

DOI  :  10.1103/PhysRevB.96.064412

来源: SCIE

【 摘 要 】

The functionality of many magnetic materials critically depends on first manipulating and then taking advantage of highly nonlinear changes of properties that occur during phase transformations. Unique to lanthanides, property-defining 4 f electrons are highly localized and, as commonly accepted, play little to no role in chemical bonding. Yet here we demonstrate that the competition between 4 f-electron energy landscapes of Dy (4 f(9)) and Er (4 f(11)) is the key element of the puzzle required to explain complex interplay ofmagnetic and structural features observed in Er1-x Dy-x Co-2, and likely many other mixed lanthanide systems. Unlike the parent binaries-DyCo2 and ErCo2-Er1-x Dy-x Co-2 exhibits two successive magnetostructural transitions: a first order at T-C, followed by a second order in the ferrimagnetically ordered state. Supported by first-principles calculations, our results offer new opportunities for targeted design of magnetic materials with multiple functionalities, and also provide a critical insight into the role of 4f electrons in controlling the magnetism and structure of lanthanide intermetallics.

【 授权许可】

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