YbNiAl2: A new Yb-based antiferromagnet with a field-induced ferromagnetic order

• DOI: 10.1016/j.physb.2009.07.039
• Publication Date: 2009-07-06T08:27:23Z
• Authors: D.P. Rojas; J. Rodríguez Fern...; J.I. Espeso; J.C. Gómez Sal
• Keywords: 0103 physical sciences; 01 natural sciences

Abstract We report measurements on the thermal and magnetic properties in the temperature range 2–300 K for the YbNiAl 2 compound which crystallizes in the orthorhombic MgCuAl 2 -type structure (space group Cmcm). At zero magnetic field, AC-magnetic susceptibility data show a peak in the real component consistent with an antiferromagnetic order below T N = 4.8 K . A field-induced ferromagnetic order is observed from the zero field cooled and field cooled curves of DC-magnetic susceptibility at different magnetic fields with a transition to a ferromagnetic state between 9 and 10 kOe. It is further confirmed by the isothermal magnetization curves as a function of the magnetic field at several temperatures, showing two metamagnetic transitions at H 1 = 8 kOe and H 2 = 9.3 kOe . The results are compared to those reported for other Yb–Ni–Al compounds.