Rare earth magnetism in high-temperature and borocarbide superconductors

High-temperature superconductors possess - besides their superconductivity - other fascinating features such as a rich magnetic phase diagram. While it is normally believed that superconductivity and rare-earth magnetism is decoupled in these systems a closer investigation clearly proves that both effects in a very similar manner depend on the doping of charge carriers. An inhomogeneous charge distribution results in inhomogeneous superconductivity and a loss of long-range magnetic order. Magnetic borocarbides are ideal model systems for an investigation into the interaction of superconductivity and (collective) magnetism due to their similar values for the critical temperature of superconductivity and the magnetic ordering temperature. Both lie typically below 15 K and are hence in a comfortable temperature regime for measurements. We will present for both classes of the above substances an analysis based on a wide variety of different measurements (susceptibility, specific heat, neutron diffraction and spectroscopy). This analysis provides an almost universal, phenomenological picture of their magnetic properties. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.