Structure and the Magnetic Properties of RFe6-xSix (R= Y, Gd, Dy, Ho) Alloys

In this work we report our first efforts to prepare and characterize a series of intermetallic compounds of the type RFe 4.48 Si 1.52 (R =Y, Gd, Ho), and DyFe 6-x Si x (x=1, 1.2, 1.4). From X-ray analysis it was found that the compounds are mixed phases, mainly of the R(Fe,Si) 17 , (Rhombohedral Th 2 Zn 12 or Hexagonal Th 2 Ni 17 structure type), the RFe 4 Si 2 , (ZrFe 4 Si 2 structure type), the RFeSi (PbClF structure type) and the RFe 2 Si 2 (CeAl 2 Ga 2 structure type). From magnetization data and Curie temperature measurements we attempted to further characterize these phases and preliminary data are presented in this work.