Coexistence of localized magnetism and itinerant ferromagnetism in a Gd5Y2Pd3 single crystal

Experimental results of the single-crystal X-ray diffraction, XPS, ac-magnetic susceptibility (ac-χ), dc-magnetization M(T), and electrical resistivity (ρ) measurements for the hexagonal Th7Fe3-type Gd5Y2Pd3 single crystal are presented. Anomalies in (ac-χ), (T) and M(T)-curves have allowed to establish that Gd5Y2Pd3 undergoes a long-range ferromagnetic-type ordering at TC = 263 K, followed by a spin-reorientation below 190 K. The magnetization data indicate that there is an excess of the magnetic moment for the Gd3+ ions. The observed XPS, magnetic and electrical resistivity behaviour points to the coexistence of localized magnetism from the magnetic Gd3+ ions and itinerant ferromagnetism from 4d- and 5d-electron bands. We discuss the magnetic behaviour of the Gd7−xYxPd3 solid solutions in terms of three competitive mechanisms: RKKY-interaction, magnetic frustration and spin-fluctuation.