Magnetic behavior of the Al-Gd-Ni hexagonal compounds

Abstract

X - ray photoelectron spectroscopy, magnetization and magnetic susceptibility of seven Al - Gd - Ni ternary hexagonal compounds are reported. Magnetic states of Ni atoms and Gd - Ni interactions strongly depend on the nearest neighborhood of Ni ions, as well as, on the distances Ni - Ni and Ni - Gd. The hybridization between the 3d Ni and 5d6s Gd states leads to a charge transfer from Gd to Ni and consequently to a partial or complete filling of the Ni 3d-band. (C) 2003 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.