Electrical Resistivity of the Heavy Rare-Earth Metals

Abstract

The electrical resistivities of polycrystalline Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Lu have been measured between 1.3\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and room temperature. The slope of the resistivity curve for Gd changes near the Curie point. The curve for Tb is very much like that for Gd but there is some evidence that two ordering temperatures exist for this metal. Dy, Ho, and Tm all show peaks in resistivity near their N\'eel points, while Er shows only a change in slope at its N\'eel point. The change from ferromagnetism to antiferromagnetism in Dy is seen as a sharp rise in the resistivity.