Orbital magnetic moment instability at the spin reorientation transition of Nd2Fe14B

Abstract

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements were performed on a Nd2Fe14B single crystal as a function of temperature through the spin reorientation transition (SRT). A direct correlation was found between the iron magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant, the orbital moment of the Fe sublattice, and the tetragonal distortion of Nd2Fe14B. A strong instability in the iron orbital magnetic moment was evident at approx. 15 K below TSRT. This instability was interpreted as critical behavior of the orbital moment.