Magnetic Properties of Gd–Ce Single Crystal Alloys

Measurements of magnetization, magnetic susceptibility and magnetocrystalline anisotropy have been made on Gd-Ce alloys with a hexagonal close packed structure. The value of the effective Bohr magneton number per Gd atom is almost independent of Ce concentration. While the saturation magnetic moment per Gd atom decreases slightly with increasing Ce concentration. It is inferred that Ce may be in nonmagnetic tetravalent state in Gd-Ce alloys and the decrease of the magnetic moment ascribable to the decrease of the polarization of the conduction band electrons. The anisotropy constant K 2 0 at 4.2 K is negative for all the alloys investigated and the absolute value increases rapidly with increasing Ce concentration. The anisotropy energy of Gd-Ce alloy may be attributable to the distortion of the Fermi level caused by the addition of tetravalent Ce ion to Gd metal.