Ferrimagnet

The development of neutron diffraction by C G Shull and coworkers [30] led to the detennination of the existence, previously only a hypothesis, of antiferromagnetism and ferrimagnetism. More recently neutron diffraction, because of its sensitivity to light elements in the presence of heavy ones, played a cmcial role in demonstrating the importance of oxygen content m high-temperature superconductors. 

Magnetorheological materials (fluids) are the magnetic equivalent of electrorheological fluids. In this case, the particles are either ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic sohds that are either dispersed or suspended within a Hquid and the apphed field is magnetic (14). 

Fig. 3. An overview of atomistic mechanisms involved in electroceramic components and the corresponding uses (a) ferroelectric domains capacitors and piezoelectrics, PTC thermistors (b) electronic conduction NTC thermistor (c) insulators and substrates (d) surface conduction humidity sensors (e) ferrimagnetic domains ferrite hard and soft magnets, magnetic tape (f) metal—semiconductor transition critical temperature NTC thermistor (g) ionic conduction gas sensors and batteries and (h) grain boundary phenomena varistors, boundary layer capacitors, PTC thermistors.

The magnetic moments of the heavy RE elements (Gd, Tb, Dy, etc) are coupled antiparallel to the magnetic moments of the TM elements (Fe, Co, etc). The REj TM alloys are therefore ferrimagnetic below their Curie temperature (T )- The heavy TM moments form one magnetic sublattice and the RE moments the other one. In contrast, the light RE moments (eg, Nd, Pr) couple parallel to the moments of TM. The RE spia is always antiparallel to the TM spia, but for the light RE elements, the orbital momentum is coupled antiparallel to the spia and larger than the spia. 

Fig. 12. Temperature dependences of the magnetisation one curve typical for ferrimagnetic films, eg, RE-TM or garnets, the other one typical for ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers (39). compensation temperature = Curie temperature.

Technical Magnetic Behavior. When a magnetic-field strength H is appHed to a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material, the latter develops a flux density or iaduction as a result of orientation of the magnetic domains. The relation between B and H is... 

Laboratory, particularly to study ferrimagnetic materials. In 1994, a Nobel Prize in physics was (belatedly) awarded for this work, which is mentioned again in the next chapter, in Section 7.3. A range of achievements in neutron crystallography are reviewed by Willis (1998). 

See p. 500 of ref. 24 for a description of Ihe garnet structure which is also adopted by inany. synthetic and non-silicaie coniponnds these have been much stndied recently becan.se of their important optical and magnetic properties, e.g. ferrimagnetic vitriuni iron garnet (YIG), y> Fe (Al" b4),. 

So-called hexagonal ferrites such as BaFe -Oi9 are ferrimagnetic and are used to construct permanent magnets. A third type of ferrimagnetic mixed oxides are the garnets, Mj FejOjj, of which the best known is yttrium iron garnet (YIG) used as a microwave filter in radar. 

H. Alfven (Stockholm) discoveries in magneto-hydrodynamics with fruitful applications in different parts of plasma physics. L. Neel (Grenoble) discoveries concerning antiferromagnetism and ferrimagnetism which have led to important applications in solid state physics. 

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