Molecular mean field study of rare-earth intermetallic compounds R3Co29Si4B10

The magnetic properties and exchange interactions. of magnetic components for rare-earth intermetallic compounds R3Co29Si4B10 (R = La, Th, Er, Tm) have been investigated by magnetization and molecular mean field analysis. The 3d-interaction energy in R3Co29Si4B10 is found. to. increase with the unpaired f-shell electrons. The investigation indicates that the 3d interaction is the strongest of the R R, R-Co, and Co-Co interactions. The R-Co interaction is the second largest, and the-exchange energy increases with the unpaired 4f-electron number. Conversely, the smaller distance between the 4f and 5d shells results in the stronger interaction of R-Co. The R-R exchange interaction is the least significant in the three sorts of exchange interactions. The interaction feature between the magnetic components in this quaternary system is similar to those, in binary and ternary systems. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.