MAGNETIC-ANISOTROPY OF YFE11TI AND ITS HYDRIDE

A study of the magnetic anisotropy of single-crystal YFe11Ti and of it s hydride is reported. The measurements were performed on a vibrating- sample and a torsion magnetometer on field-oriented single-crystal and powder samples. The temperature dependence of the magnetic anisotropy constants K-1 and K-2 was determined by a mathematical treatment of e xperimental torque curves and by applying the Sucksmith-Thompson techn ique to magnetization data. It is shown that the temperature dependenc e of the magnetic anisotropy constants of YFe11Ti and of its hydride d oes not follow the prediction of the single-ion exchange model. It is found that hydrogenenation results in a growth of the magnetic anisotr opy constant, which can be explained by an electron-density redistribu tion near the lattice positions occupied by iron atoms. (C) 1998 Ameri can Institute of Physics.