STRUCTURAL AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF RFE(10)MO(2) AND RFE(10)MO(2)N

The structural and magnetic properties of RFe(10)Mo(2) and RFe(10)Mo(2 )N have been studied by x-ray diffraction and high-field magnetization measurements on free-powder or magnetically aligned samples. The latt ice of RFe(10)Mo(2) expands anisotropically upon nitrogenation and the volume of the unit cell increases by 2.9-4.0%. The rare-earth element dependence of lattice expansion is found to be just opposite to that of the Curie temperature. The saturation magnetization of RFe(10)Mo(2) increases after the introduction of nitrogen. The abnormally large va lues of magnetization for some heavy-rare-earth compounds imply that a non-collinear moment configuration in the absence of an external fiel d may exist in these compounds.