A magnetic study of the HoCo12-x Fe x B6 ferrimagnetic compounds

The effects of Fe substitution on the structural and magnetic properties of the HoCo_12-xFe_xB₆ (0 ≤ x ≤ 2) series of intermetallic compounds have been studied. All of the compounds form in the rhombohedral SrNi₁₂B₆-type structure, the lattice constants increasing linearly with x. These compounds are ferrimagnets with a small transition metal magnetic moment and exhibit a spin reorientation transition. The Curie temperature decreases from 147 K for x = 0–105 K for x = 2. The Fe for Co substitution leads also to a progressive decrease of the spontaneous magnetization. The spin reorientation transition temperature is significantly reduced upon Fe for Co substitution whereas the compensation temperature is much less sensitive to the Fe composition.