Torque magnetometry studies of new low temperature metamagnetic states in ErNi_{2}B_{2}C

TL;DR

This study uses torque magnetometry to explore and identify new low-temperature metamagnetic states in ErNi₂B₂C, revealing angle-dependent transition behaviors and novel magnetic phases not seen in earlier studies.

Contribution

It introduces torque magnetometry as a tool to discover previously unobserved metamagnetic states in ErNi₂B₂C at low temperatures.

Findings

Identification of new metamagnetic states in ErNi₂B₂C.

Angle-dependent critical fields for magnetic transitions.

Different transition sequences near easy and hard axes.

Abstract

The metamagnetic transitions in single-crystal ErNi$_2$B$_2$C have been studied at 1.9 K with a Quantum Design torque magnetometer. The critical fields of the transitions depend crucially on the angle between applied field and the easy axis [100]. Torque measurements have been made while changing angular direction of the magnetic field (parallel to basal tetragonal $ab$-planes) in a wide angular range (more than two quadrants). Sequences of metamagnetic transitions with increasing field are found to be different for the magnetic field along (or close enough to) the easy [100] axis from that near the hard [110] axis. The study have revealed new metamagnetic states in ErNi$_{2}$B$_2$C which were not apparent in previous longitudinal-magnetization and neutron studies.