Neutron diffraction study of the magnetic long-range order in Tb

Like other heavy rare-earth metals, Tb exhibits a magnetic phase with a spiral structure. This appears within the temperature region from 216 to 226deg K between the ferromagnetic phase and the paramagnetic phase. The transition between ferromagnetic and spiral structure is of first order and implies no change in the long-range order.

In the close vicinity of the Neacuteel temperature TN = 226deg K the spiral magnetic long-range order varies as (TN-T)0.25plusmn 0.01, whereas the total order within a wider temperature range roughly follows (TN-T)1/3. The turn angle per layer varies from 16.5deg at 216deg K to 20.7deg at 226deg K. The temperature variation of the transverse magnetostriction has also been measured and was found to vary approximately in proportion to the square of the magnetic long-range order.