Magnetic and electric properties and phase diagram of single crystalline TmAlB(4)

Abstract

The magnetic and electric properties of TmAlB(4) single crystals were investigated. It was found that temperature-dependent magnetization showed a large anisotropy with the c axis being easy magnetic direction. The anisotropy is likely due to crystalline electric field effect. Isothermal magnetization at T=2 K represented six metamagnetic transitions at H(C1)=9.6 kOe, H(C2)=12 kOe, H(C3)=17.1 kOe, H(C4)=21.4 kOe, H(C5)=24.1 kOe, and H(C6)=26 kOe. Field-dependent resistivity at T=2 K with the applied field along the c axis and current perpendicular to the c axis exhibited a noticeable sharp change at the fields of metamagnetic transitions, confirming the six transitions. Based on the isothermal magnetization and field-dependent resistivity at several temperatures, a field-temperature phase diagram of TmAlB(4) was constructed, which contains at least seven magnetic phases. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.