MAGNETIC-ANISOTROPY AND MAGNETIZATION PROCESSES IN 3 29 AND 1/12 ND(FETI)-BASED COMPOUNDS/

The temperature behavior of the magnetic anisotropy and magnetization processes in the tetragonal Nd(FeTi)(12) and monoclinic Nd-3(FeTi)(29) have been studied and compared. Both compounds are characterized by t he occurrence of temperature-induced spin reorientation transitions, a s well as field-induced magnetization processes of different types, wh ich have been interpreted as first-order magnetization process. In bot h systems the resultant anisotropy of Nd favors the occurrence of an e asy magnetization direction out of the principal axes at low temperatu re. On the contrary the overall Fe sublattice anisotropy favors the te tragonal c-axis in the 1:12 and seems to prefer the monoclinic a-axis in the 3:29 compound. (C) 1994 American Institute of Physics.