Gadolinium spin dilution in the solid solution Gd1–xYxAuMg – gradual decrease of the Néel temperature

Abstract The intermetallic compounds GdAuMg and YAuMg form a continuous solid solution Gd 1–x Y x AuMg. Samples in x =0.1 steps were synthesized from the elements in sealed tantalum ampoules in an induction furnace. Phase purity of the samples was checked by powder X‐ray diffraction. The structures of two members of the solid solution were refined from single crystal X‐ray diffractometer data: ZrNiAl type, P 2 m , a =756.16(6), c =413.06(4) pm, wR 2=0.0402, 328 F 2 values, 16 variables for Gd 0.80(2) Y 0.20(2) AuMg and a =754.82(7), c =411.24(4) pm, wR 2=0.0292, 325 F 2 values, 16 variables for Gd 0.37(1) Y 0.63(1) AuMg. Temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility studies show a continuous decrease of the Néel temperature from T N =81.1(1) K (GdAuMg) to 3.5(1) K (Gd 0.1 Y 0.9 AuMg). With increasing x in Gd 1–x Y x AuMg the saturation magnetization increases, with a maximal value of 6.44(1) μ B Gd atom −1 for Gd 0.1 Y 0.9 AuMg at 3 K. The dilution of the gadolinium substructure with yttrium pushes the magnetization isotherms close to Brillouin type behavior (free Gd 3+ ).