Magnetic Compton scattering study of the magnetocaloric material Gd₇Pd₃

Abstract

The spin-dependent momentum density of Gd(7)Pd(3) was probed by the magnetic Compton scattering technique with elliptically polarized synchrotron radiation. A contribution to the spin moment from Pd 4d electrons was observed, at 2 and 280 K, alongside a large Gd 4f moment and a smaller Gd 5d moment. The total spin moment, at 2 K, was determined as 50.8 ± 0.7 μ(B) (f.u.)(-1). The Gd 4f contribution to the spin moment was determined as 43.4 ± 1.8 μ(B) (f.u.)(-1), the Gd 5d moment as 4.4 ± 0.7 μ(B) (f.u.)(-1) and the Pd 4d spin moment contribution as 2.9 ± 1.1 μ(B) (f.u.)(-1), where f.u. represents a formula unit. At 280 K the total spin moment was 27.3 ± 0.9 μ(B) (f.u.)(-1) with individual contributions determined as a Gd 4f spin moment of 23.8 ± 1.1 μ(B) (f.u.)(-1), a Gd 5d contribution of 2.2 ± 0.5 μ(B) (f.u.)(-1) and a Pd 5d spin moment of 1.2 ± 0.6 μ(B) (f.u.)(-1).