Dilatometric study of spontaneous magnetostriction in NdMg antiferromagnet

We present dilatometric measurements of spontaneous magnetostriction in NdM g cubic antiferromagnet. This compound displays two spontaneous antiferroma gnetic phases, both of which reduce the point symmetry to tetragonal, divid ing the sample into three types of magnetostriction domains. However, apply ing a magnetic field along the appropriate direction for domain selection. we could extract the spontaneous magnetostriction. The results are in perfe ct agreement with X-ray data. with the benefit of a higher accuracy and a w ider temperature range. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.