CRYSTAL-FIELD EFFECTS ON THERMAL AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF ER3CO

The specific heat and magnetic susceptibility have been measured for E r3Co. The magnetic susceptibility obeys the Curie-Weiss law in the tem perature range of 100-300 K with the effective moment mu(eff)=9.52 mu( B). A large magnetic specific heat above the Curie temperature of 13 K was found, which is interpreted in terms of the point-charge model. I t is revealed that the crystal field and exchange field are of the sam e order of magnitude and that the electronic thermal excitations contr ibute to the magnetic specific heat, resulting in a broad Schottky-typ e contribution. Moreover, magnetocrystalline anisotropy gives rise to the noncollinear spin structure.