Eur. Phys. J. B 10, 635-640 (1999)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050895

Magnetic measurement and a crystal field investigation of Ho₂(SO₄)_3.8H₂O crystal

Department of Solid State Physics, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Calcutta - 700032, India

Corresponding author: ^a sspcb@mahendra.iacs.res.in

Received: 4 August 1998
Revised: 4 February 1999
Published online: 15 August 1999

Abstract

Magnetic measurements of octahydrated Holmium sulphate have been carried out in the temperature range 80-300 K and analysis of the results has been performed using a crystal field of C_1h symmetry which is the major point symmetry of the ion inferred from the polarized optical absorption studies. The most rigorous approach of direct diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix constructed in the complete basis of states belonging to all atomic terms of the Ho³⁺ ion has been employed. A new set of crystal field parameters some of which are widely different from that reported from optical studies, has been evaluated for consistent interpretation of both the magnetic and optical data.