MAGNETOCRYSTALLINE ANISOTROPY OF RFE4AL8 SINGLE-CRYSTALS INVESTIGATEDBY TORQUE MAGNETOMETRY

Anisotropy studies by the torsion method have been performed on RFe4Al 8 single crystals, where R=Y, Ho, Dy, in the temperature range 4.2-298 K and in magnetic field up to 1.76 T. For YFe4Al8 magnetization reori entation near 170 K is observed. The introduction of the magnetic rare earth with its high magnetic anisotropy leads to the unusal propertie s of magnetic torque at low temperature. These phenomena indicate the spin glass state in the R and Fe sublattices established by the extern al field.