The magnetic susceptibility of lutetium-hydrogen solid solution alloys from 2 to 300 K and a re-evaluation of the low temperature heat capacity results

• Published in: Journal of magnetism and magnetic materials 1984, Vol.42 (3), p.309-316
• Main Authors: Stierman, R.J., Gschneidner, K.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetically ordered materials: other intrinsic properties; Materials science; Metals, semimetals and alloys; Other topics in magnetic properties and materials; Physics; Saturation moments and magnetic susceptibilities; Specific materials
• ISSN: 0304-8853
• DOI: 10.1016/0304-8853(84)90114-8

The magnetic susceptibility, χ, of several lutetium-hydrogen solid solution alloys was measured between 2–300 K. Compositions varied from an electrotransport purified Lu (0.018 at% H) sample to 6.4 at% H alloy. Several samples exhibited large magnetic anisotropies, which complicated the analysis. The measured susceptibilities were compared to low temperature heat capacity results measured earlier on the same samples. It appears that pure Lu is a spin fluctuation material and the fluctuations are quickly degraded by impurities. While the variation of χ vs. composition is similar to that of γ (the electronic specific heat constant) vs. composition, the low temperature χ peaks near 3.0 at% H compared to 1.4 at% H for γ. This difference is thought to be due to hydrogen tunneling, which gives rise, in part, to a linear contribution to the heat capacity. Correcting for this brings the concentration dependence of γ in good agreement with the χ dependence of the hydrogen content.