Magnetic properties of Sm6Fe23 crystal

Abstract A single crystal of Sm 6 Fe 23 was prepared by means of a modified self-flux method, and its crystallographic magnetic properties were studied. Sm 6 Fe 23 has the cubic Th 6 Mn 23 -type structure (space group Fm3m ) with a lattice constant of a =1.2187±0.0006 nm. The easy axis of magnetization is parallel to the 〈111〉 direction. Its magnetic moment per unit formula deduced from the saturation magnetization is 59 μ B at 5 K, a value that is consistent with the value calculated assuming ferromagnetic coupling between the Sm and Fe sublattices. The cubic anisotropy constants K 1 and K 2 estimated from the magnetization curves of the [111], [110], and [100] directions are −2.7×10 6 and 6.3×10 5 erg/cm 3 , respectively. The anisotropy field H A calculated from the anisotropy constants is 6.1 kOe.