Electronic Structure of Transition Metals

Abstract

Several distinct lines of experimental work now point toward a new conception of the electronic structure of the transition metals. Recent x‐ray work by R. J. Weiss suggests that metals of atomic number less than Fe and Fe itself have few $\text{3d}$ electrons and many conduction electrons while for metals above Fe this is reversed. These results are discussed and the ideas to which they lead described. On this basis the magnetic properties of all the pure metals are easily understood and the variation of the saturation moments of all the binary ferromagnetic alloys can be explained. Results of neutron diffraction on ferromagnetic alloys also support the new ideas and further experiments should provide very clear tests of them. It is shown that these alloys can be divided into four types, each with a characteristic behavior which will be described. Further evidence, coming from recent unpublished work, is also briefly mentioned.