Spin-flip metamagnetism in the laves phase compounds Dy<inf>0.73</inf>Tb<inf>0.27</inf>Fe<inf>2-x</inf>Co<inf>x</inf>H<inf>n</inf>

The results of low temperature magnetization measurements carried out on the Dy0.73Tb0.27Fe2-xCox system and their hydrogenated compounds are presented. Low temperature (12 K) magnetization data reveals a large increase in anisotropy in the hydrogenated compounds, attributed to a modification in crystalline electric field effects as a result of the orientational ordering of hydrogen atoms in the lattice. The discrete step-wise increase in magnetization upto a field of 2 kOe in the parent alloys and the hydrogenated compounds is attributed to spin-flip metamagnetism. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.