https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510070224
Thermal expansion and magnetostriction in an anomalous Gd intermetallic compound
1
Department of Physics, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU,
UK
2
Institut für Theoretische Physik, RWTH Aachen, Germany
Received:
28
July
1999
Published online: 15 July 2000
Thermal expansion and forced magnetostriction measurements are reported on two Gd intermetallic compounds which order magnetically below ∼10 K. The relative influence of the electronic, lattice and magnetic degrees of freedom was determined using results obtained on a non-magnetic isostructural compound. A Grüneisen analysis revealed that whilst the magnetic contribution to the specific heat is similar for both Pd2GdIn and Cu2GdIn the spontaneous magnetostriction was significantly smaller in the Pd compound. Forced magnetostriction measurements suggest that the thermal expansion in Pd2GdIn is primarily associated with spin fluctuations in the Pd 4d band. It is suggested that these additional degrees of freedom give rise to the enhanced specific heat observed in Pd2GdIn.
PACS: 75.30.-m – Intrinsic properties of magnetically ordered materials / 65.70.+y – Thermal expansion and density changes; thermomechanical effects / 75.80.+q – Magnetomechanical and magnetoelectric effects, magnetostriction
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2000
