Magnetostriction and magnetism of rare earth intermetallic compounds: First principle study

Abstract

Magnetism and magnetostriction of rare earth intermetallic compounds, GdCo2, GdFe2, NdCo2, SmCo2, and ErCo2, have been studied by using the first principles full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave method with the generalized gradient approximation. The calculated magnetostriction coefficients agree well with experiment. The itinerant electrons of transition metal elements are found to play a significant role in magnetoelastic coupling. The strong anisotropy of magnetostriction in GdCo2 is explained. Contributions due to spatial anisotropic charge distribution of the incomplete 4f shells are calculated and discussed. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.