https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510070002
Magnetostructural transition in NdCu2
Evidence for an axis conversion like behaviour
1
Institut für Angewandte Physik, Technische
Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
2
Hahn Meitner Institut, 14109 Berlin, Germany
Corresponding author: a kramp@physik.tu-dresden.de
Received:
27
March
2000
Revised:
11
September
2000
Published online: 15 December 2000
The magnetic (H,T)-phase diagram of the orthorhombic compound
NdCu2 was investigated for external magnetic fields up to 15 T
parallel to the crystallographic c-direction.
Magnetization and magnetostriction measurements reveal an anomalous
change of the magnetic properties as well as giant magnetostriction (GMS)
and large hysteretic effects. This behaviour is similar to that
observed in some other RCu2 compounds where it has been
interpreted as a conversion of the magnetic Ising axis.
In contrast to these other RCu2 compounds, however,
the easy axis of magnetization in NdCu2 is the b-axis.
The macroscopic measurements are compared with neutron diffraction
experiments which reveal GMS along the b-axis and a new magnetic phase
with propagation vector 
in the converted
crystal.
PACS: 71.20.Eh – Rare earth metals and alloys / 75.30.Kz – Magnetic phase boundaries (including magnetic transitions, metamagnetism, etc.) / 75.80.+q – Magnetomechanical and magnetoelastic effects, magnetostriction / 61.12-q – Neutron diffraction and scattering
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2000
