TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENCE OF THE MAGNETIC COMPTON PROFILE OF FERRIMAGNETIC DYFE2 AND ERFE2

The spin moments in DyFe2 and ErFe2 samples have been determined from magnetic Compton scattering experiments performed at the KEK Accumulat ion Ring with 47.1 keV circularly polarized synchrotron radiation at t emperatures 50-355 K. The polycrystalline samples were mounted in a cr yostat and magnetized by an electromagnet producing a magnetic field o f 0.5 T. The magnetic field was aligned parallel to the x-ray scatteri ng vector acid the scattering angle was fixed at 160 degrees. The good signal averaging associated with the use of an electromagnet facilita ted the analysis of the magnetic Compton profiles of DyFe2 and ErFe2 i n terms of a combination of rare-earth 4f, diffuse and iron 3d free-at om Compton profiles. The temperature dependence of the total spin mome nt mirrors the corresponding dependence of the rare-earth 4f moment. T he rare-earth orbital moments have been deduced by combining the Compt on data with bulk magnetization measurements.