Thermal Expansion and Magnetostriction in Pr5Ni2Si3 Single crystal

ORAL

Abstract

Pr$_{5}$Ni$_{2}$Si$_{3}$ is the second member of the series, R$_{(n+2)(n+1)}$Ni$_{n(n-1)+2}$Si$_{n(n+1)}$, which consists of three compounds with n= 2,3 and 4 with similar hexagonal crystal structures and exhibiting uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with an easy c axis. In this study, thermal expansion and magnetostriction of Pr$_{5}$Ni$_{2}$Si$_{3}$ single crystals were investigated parallel and perpendicular to the easy axis over the temperature range of 5 to 300 K under applied magnetic field up to 9 T. The magnetic contribution to the thermal expansion was determined by approximating the phonon contributions to thermal expansion using the Debye-Gruneisen model. The results reflect two different magnetic phase transformations upon cooling, one corresponding to the Curie temperature (41 K) and the other exhibiting characteristics of a spin reorientation. Ames Lab. is operated for the US Department of Energy by Iowa State University under contract number W-7405-ENG-82.

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Authors

  • S.H. Song

  • John E. Snyder

  • D. Wu

  • T.A. Lograsso

  • K.W. Dennis

  • R.W. McCallum

  • Y. Janssen

  • David C. Jiles

    • Materials and Engineering Physics Program, Ames Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Ames, Iowa 50011, U.S.A.
    • Materials and Engineering Physics Program, Ames Laboratory, U. S. Dept. of Energy
    • Materials and Engineering Physics Program, Ames Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy, Iowa State University