CRYSTAL MAGNETIC ANISOTROPY AND MAGNETIZATION OF MNSB

Single crystals of MnSb with various Mn compositions in ε phase were prepared successfully with Bridgeman method. Magnetization and torque measurements were made on these crystals in temperatures ranging from 4.2°K to 800°K. The temperature dependence of saturation magnetization on the sample with 48.2 at. % Mn was in good agreement with Brillouin function of J=3⁄2~2, but the samples with Mn rich composition exhibited slight discrepancies from this function. The saturation magnetization per Mn atom at 0°K in Bohr magneton decreases with increasing Mn composition, and these values are well explained quantitatively as excess Mn atoms with 2.2μB occupy the B site and these spins are arranged antiparallel to those of A site Mn with 3.5μB. The temperature dependences of the first order crystal magnetic anisotropy of various Mn compositions exhibit analogous function with those of cobalt and nickel derived from Carr’s theory. © 1968, THE PHYSICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN. All rights reserved.