CRYSTAL-GROWTH AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF SMFE2

SmFe2 crystals were grown by the self-flux method using Sm as a flux, and the crystallographic and magnetic properties of the crystal were s tudied for the first time. SmFe2 crystallizes in a cubic MgCu2-type st ructure (space group of Fd3m) with lattice constants of a = 0.7425 nm. Saturation magnetization M-S at 5 K and 300K and the Curie temperatur e of SmFe2 are 64.4 emu/g, 59.8 emu/g, and 669 It, respectively The ea sy-direction of the magnetization is parallel to the [110] direction o f the cubic crystal at 300 K, but it: changes to the [111] direction a t about 195 K.