Superconductivity, magnetic ordering, and its interplay in (HoNi2B2C)-B-11

We investigated the low-temperature properties of polycrystalline (HoNi2B2C )-B-11 by means of AC-susceptibility and neutron powder diffraction in the temperature range of 1.5-10 K and zero magnetic field. A sample with pronou nced re-entrant behaviour was chosen since it exhibits a superconducting st ate which is strongly affected by the intrinsic magnetism, the formation of long range magnetic order, via pair-breaking. The evolution and volume fra ctions of the three different magnetic structures were observed and correla ted to the superconducting behaviour. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.