Magnetic properties of SmFe3 single crystal

Abstract

SmFe3 single crystal was grown by a self-flux method using Sm as a flux, and its crystallographic and magnetic properties have been studied. SmFe3 crystalizes in the rhombohedral PuNi3-type structure and has lattice constants of a = 0.5179 and c = 2.4795 nm. The saturation magnetizations M-S at 5 K and 300 K are respectively 89.9 emu/g and 80.7 emu/g, and the Curie temperature is 644 K. The anisotropy constants K-1 and K-2 at 5 K are -2.69 x 10(7) and 11.9 x 10(7) erg/cm(3) and at 300 K are 2.36 x 10(7) and 2.21 x 10(7) erg/cm(3). While the easy direction of magnetization is parallel to the c-axis at 300 K, it lies on the surface of a cone below 160 K. The angle theta between the c-axis and the generatrix of the cone is about 310 at 5 K.