Neutron diffraction studies of some Gd-Y alloys

Interest in the Gd-Y system has recently been reawakened by some precise measurements of magnetization and resistivity on single-crystal specimens of compositions in the critical range near 32% Y. The very interesting and complex effects found have led Legvold et al. to postulate double ferromagnetism in Gd70Y30 single crystals and Legvold et al. to search for Lifshitz points (at special compositions) in various rare-earth alloys. The present series of measurements were undertaken on crystals containing 30, 32, and 32.3% Y in Gd in an attempt to explore, by neutron scattering methods, the two phenomena just mentioned