Coexistence of two magnetic phases near Curie temperature in Dy

The kinetics of the first-order magnetic phase transition in Dy single crystal has been studied by the X-ray diffraction technique through the observation of the discontinuous change of the c lattice parameter. The phase transition has been found to be incomplete just below the Curie temperature and two magnetic phases coexist in a narrow temperature range. This result can be explained qualitatively by the nucleation and growth theory which includes the elastic energy of the stable phase owing to the pinning by defects of the crystal or impurities.