Magnetostriction enhancement in Laves compounds (Sm,Yb)Fe2

The magnetic and magnetostrictive properties of compounds (Sm1-xYbx)Fe-2 (0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.3) have been studied. When x < 0.15, the compounds crystallize in the cubic structure of a C15 MgCu2-type Laves phase. For x > 0.15 a small amount of (Sm,Yb)Fe-3 compound with a PuNi3-type structure appears and its amount increases with increasing Yb content. The magnetic ordering of 1:2 compounds is slightly strengthened by the substitution of Yb for Sm. Lattice parameters for Laves phase compounds keep almost unchanged for the whole range investigated, indicating the deviation from Vegard's law linear variation with composition. A magnetostriction enhancement of about 15% when x = 0.05% both in spontaneous and polycrystalline magnetostrictions in Sm0.95Yb0.05Fe2 has been observed, which can be ascribed to the anisotropy compensation effect. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.