MAGNETIZATION DENSITY IN THE INTERMEDIATE VALENCE COMPOUND YBAL3

Polarized neutron diffraction studies have been performed at various t emperatures on a flux grown single crystal of YbAl3. Only the Yb carri es a field-induced magnetic moment, which is well described by a free in ion Yb3+ form factor. The thermal variation of the localized 4f Yb moment exhibits a second maximum at T approximate to 130 K. A small te mperature-independent positive conduction electron polarization is sug gested. These results are important to the understanding of the YbAl3 ground state.