Magnetic properties of amorphous Mn100-xCex alloys

We have measured the magnetization and thermal expansion coefficient α on sputtered amorphous Mn100-xCex alloys in various concentrations of Ce. In Mn-rich samples we observe a small anomaly and thermal hysteresis between field-cooling and zero-field-cooling in the low-temperature magnetization, suggesting a spin-glass ordering, and an anomalously large α value with normal Debye-like temperature dependence. In Ce-rich samples we observe typical Curie-Weiss behavior in the magnetization, but α increases with the decrease of temperature below 100 K, suggesting the significant contribution of the Ce 4f electrons to the thermal expansion