EFFECT OF THE SUBSTITUTION OF Ga ON THE STRUCTURE AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF Dy₂Fe₁₇ COMPOUND

Dy₂Fe_17-xGa_x (x = 0,1,2,3,4, 5 and 6) compounds were prepared by arc melting. These compounds are of single phase, having a hexagonal Th₂Ni₁₇-type structure fox x=0 and rhombohedral Th₂Zn₁₇-type structure for x≥1. The substitution of Ga for Fe in the Dy₂Fe₁₇ leads to a linear increase of unit-cell volumes. The saturation magnetization M_s at 1.5K is found to decrease linearly with increasing Ga concentration, from 65emu/g for x= 0 to 5emu/g for x = 6; and the Fe magnetic moment \mu_Fe is almost independent of Ga concentration. The Curie temperature T_C is found first to increase with increasing Ga content x, and goes through a maximum value of 559 K at about x = 3, then decreases. The sharp increase of T_C at lower Ga content may result from the increase of unit cell volumes. Dy₂Fe_17-xGa_x compounds with x≤5 exhibit easy plane anisotropy at room temperature, and those with x = 6 possess easy-axis.