STRUCTURAL AND MAGNETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THE NEW TERNARY PHASE TB-3(FE1-XTIX)(29)

We report the existence and characterization of the stable ternary phase Tb-3(Fe1-xTix)(29). The structural characterization by x-ray powder diffraction is evidence for a monoclinic structure (P2(1)/c space group) with refined lattice parameters a = 10.583(1) Angstrom, b = 8.5116(7) Angstrom, c = 9.6736(9) Angstrom and beta = 97.018(5)degrees. A large magnetovolume effect has been observed in the volume thermal expansion at the order temperature T-c = 455 K. The anisotropy has been measured by using the singular point detection technique. Two distinct anisotropy fields of relatively high intensity have been detected. The H-A values measured at 6.4 T and 1.9 T at 293 K and both increase markedly with decreasing temperature. Below 200 K, the approach to saturation corresponding to the highest H-A develops into a first-order magnetization process.