Magnetic properties and reminiscent rare earth-cobalt coupling in RCo3B2 compounds

The magnetic properties of RCo3B2 compounds, with heavy rare earth elements were investigated using magnetic measurements and electronic structure calculations. The cobalt sublattice magnetizations are very small and antiparallel oriented to heavy rare earth moments. The contributions of cobalt moments to the Curie constants are also shown. The magnetic behavior of cobalt has been analyzed in the spin fluctuations model. The presence of short -range order above the Curie temperatures in RCo3B2 compounds with R = Tb, Dy, and Ho has been attributed to reminiscent R5d-Co3d interactions.