Neutron Diffraction Investigations of the Magnetic Ordering in Rare Earth Nitrides

Abstract

Neutron diffraction investigations on HoN and TbN at low temperatures show that both compounds become ferromagnetic with Curie temperatures of about 18°K and 43°K, respectively. Although the paramagnetic scattering is consistent with moment values calculated for the free trivalent rare earth ions, the observed ferromagnetic moments are lower than the calculated values and indicate the effect of crystalline field interactions. Diffraction patterns from both compounds at 1.3°K show considerable ferromagneticshort-range-order scattering with characteristics which are different from those associated with critical magnetic scattering.