Magnetic phase coexistence in DyNiAl4

The magnetic structure and properties of the rare earth intermetallic DyNiAl4 have been determined. Two magnetic phase transitions have been observed at TN = 20.2(1) K and TN' = 14.6(1) K. Analysis via neutron diffraction has revealed that these correspond to the formation of two distinct magnetic phases, a low temperature collinear antiferromagnetic phase with kC = (0, 1, 0) and a higher temperature incommensurate phase with kI = (0.1745(6), 1, 0.0313(6)). The incommensurate phase consists of a sinusoidal modulation of the magnetic moment along the a- and c-axis directions. In addition, both of these phases have been found to coexist between 14.5 K and 16.1 K.