The structure, magnetostriction, and anisotropy compensation of (Tb1-xPrx)(Fe0.4Co0.6)(1.9) alloys

The structure, magnetostriction, and anisotropy compensation of (Tb1-xPrx)(Fe0.4Co0.6)(1.9) (0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 1) alloys were investigated. It was found that the matrix of (Tb1-xPrx)(Fe0.4Co0.6)(1.9) alloys is a (Tb,Pr)(Fe,Co)(2) phase with a MgCu2-type cubic Laves structure, and a second phase of small amount is a (Tb,Pr)(Fe,Co)(3) phase when x less than or equal to 0.2 and x=0.5 and 1.0. In the range 0.2<x less than or equal to 0.4, the amount of the (Tb,Pr)(Fe,Co)(3) phase with a PuNi3-type structure increases with increasing x and becomes the main phase when x=0.4. When 0.5<x less than or equal to 0.6, the (Tb,Pr)(Fe,Co)(3) phase increases sharply, whereas the 0.6<x less than or equal to 0.8, it decreases with increasing x. The spontaneous magnetostriction lambda(111) of the alloys exhibits a peak near x=0.8 (lambda(111)=2370 X 10(-6)). The magnetostriction \lambda(parallel to) - lambda(perpendicular to) at room temperature was also examined. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(97)03845-X].