Magnetocrystalline anisotropy of RFe/sub 4/Al/sub 8/ single crystals investigated by torque magnetometry

Anisotropy studies by the torsion method have been performed on RFe/sub 4/Al/sub 8/ single crystals, where R=Y, Ho, Dy, in the temperature range 4.2-298 K and in magnetic field up to 1.76 T. For YFe/sub 4/Al/sub 8/ magnetization reorientation near 170 K is observed. The introduction of the magnetic rare earth with its high magnetic anisotropy lends to the unusual properties of magnetic torque at low temperature. These phenomena indicate the spin glass state in the R and Fe sublattices established by the external field. >