Hyperfine interactions in Ho(Fe1-xCox)2 compounds at 295 K

Synthesis of Ho(Fe1–xCox)2 intermetallic compounds, studies of their crystal structure and 57Fe Mössbauer effect analysis were carried out at 295 K. X-ray measurements evidence a pure cubic Fd3m, C15, MgCu2-type Laves phase. The unit cell parameter decreases non-linearly with composition parameter x. Mössbauer effect spectra for the Ho(Fe1–xCox)2 series were composed of a number of locally originated subspectra due to random Fe/Co nearest neighbourhoods. Hyperfine interaction parameters, i.e. isomer shift, the magnetic hyperfine field and a quadrupole interaction parameter were determined from the fitting procedure of the spectra, for both the individual nearest neighbourhoods, and for the sample as bulk. As a consequence of Fe/Co substitution a Slater-Pauling type curve for the average magnetic hyperfine field vs. x is observed. The correlation between the local magnetic hyperfine fields and the average magnetic hyperfine fields is related to weak and strong ferromagnetism of the transition metal sublattice.