Magnetic transitions in HoErFe<inf>17-x</inf>Ga<inf>x</inf>C

The compounds HoErFe17-xGaxC (x = 0, 1, 2, 3) were synthesized by the arc melting technique. The ac magnetic susceptibility studies were carried out on these compounds to identify the possible magnetic transitions viz., spin reorientation transitions. Two-step spin reorientation transitions were identified in the systems HoErFe17-xGax (x = 0-2). The spin reorientation transition temperature is increased upon carbon insertion. The variations in spin reorientation transition upon substitution of Ga at Fe site and insertion of carbon at interstitial sites is explained on the basis of changes in sign and magnitude of the second-order crystal field parameter A20. © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.