MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF ERPD2SI2 FROM MAGNETIZATION MOSSBAUER AND NEUTRON-DIFFRACTION MEASUREMENTS

Magnetization, neutron diffraction-and Er-166 Mossbauer measurements o n ErPd2Si2 are reported. Below 4.8 K ErPd2Si2 orders AF with complex m odulated magnetic structures, where the Er moments are aligned along t he c-axis. At 1.5 K a squared structure with mu(Er) almost-equal-to 7. 8(1)mu(B) is found while a saturation Er moment of 8.2(2)mu(B) is infe rred from the hyperfine field data. The temperature dependence of the Mossbauer spectra in the paramagnetic region is explained in the frame work of a relaxation model implying excited crystal field levels. Its analysis is used to estimate the B(n)m CEF parameters.