THERMAL-EXPANSION AND ULTRASONIC-ATTENUATION ANOMALIES IN ANTI-FERROMAGNETIC DYSPROSIUM AND TERBIUM-50-PERCENT HOLMIUM

Anomalies in the c-axis thermal expansion of single crystal Dy and Tb-50% Ho have been observed at 113.0 ±1.0 K and 121.5 ±1.0 K respectively. In dysprosium this is accompanied by an anomalous increase in the attenuation coefficient, α44, of 15 MHz ultrasonic shear waves propagated along the c-axis. In both materials the anomaly occurs when the helical turn angle, as measured by neutron diffraction, assumes a values of 30°. The observations are compared with a similar effect in holmium and discussed in terms of a model involving helical spin domains which may be commensurate, or otherwise, with the crystal lattice. © 1979.