High Field Magnetization of RMn2

The high field magnetization of RMn2, where R stands for a rare-earth element, has been measured at 4.2 K by using pulsed magnetic fields up to about 300 kOe. The magnetizations of YMn2, PrMn2, NdMn2 and SmMn2 increase almost linearly with increasing magnetic field. The magnetization curves of GdMn2, TbMn2, DyMn2, HoMn2 and ErMn2 show a trend of saturation at high fields. The saturation magnetic moments per formula unit were estimated as 6.2 μB, 9.5μB, 10.0μB, 10.3μB, 10.1μB and 8.9μB for GdMn2, TbMn2, DyMn2, HoMn2 (C15), HoMn2(C14) and ErMn2, respectively. These values are in agreement with the R3 ‘ moments except for GdMn2. The analysis on GdMn2 excludes particularly a simple ferrimagnetic coupling between Gd and Mn moments.