Structural and Magnetic Properties of Er3Fe5-xAlxO12 Garnets

Abstract

Er3Fe5-xAlxO12 (0.0 < x < 0.8) garnets were prepared by ball milling and sintering at 1300 C. Rietveld refinement of the samples revealed a garnet structure with Ia3d symmetry. The lattice parameter, cell volume, X-ray density and magnetization of the prepared garnets decreased with the increase of Al content (x). The coercivity of the garnets increased with x, but remained generally low, being below 20 Oe. Low temperature magnetic measurements versus temperature indicated that the magnetization of x = 0.0 exhibited a compensation temperature at -186 C, however, x = 0.8 exhibited a minimum at a higher temperature of -134 C.