The distribution of magnetic moments in the iron-rich intermetallic compound ${\mathrm{Lu}}_2{\mathrm{Fe}}_{17}$ with Fe partly substituted by Ru has been investigated on ${\mathrm{Lu}}_2{\mathrm{Fe}}_{16.5}{\mathrm{Ru}}_{0.5}$ by using several techniques. The crystal structure and temperature evolution of the magnetic structure was studied using high resolution and high flux neutron powder diffractometers. In contrast to the parent ${\mathrm{Lu}}_2{\mathrm{Fe}}_{17}$, which transforms on cooling from an antiferromagnetic to a ferromagnetic state, ${\mathrm{Lu}}_2{\mathrm{Fe}}_{16.5}{\mathrm{Ru}}_{0.5}$ is an antiferromagnet (Néel temperature $T_{\mathrm{N}}$ = 208 K) down to the lowest temperatures. The magnetic polarization at the lutetium $L_{2,3}$ absorption edges, iron $K$ and ruthenium $L_2$ edges was studied by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) on a single crystal of ${\mathrm{Lu}}_2{\mathrm{Fe}}_{16.5}{\mathrm{Ru}}_{0.5}$ in a magnetic field of 3 T, i.e., above the field-induced metamagnetic transition. The Ru XMCD signal proves the existence of induced magnetic polarization parallel to the dominant Fe sublattice magnetization. A corresponding theoretical analysis in the framework of the local spin density formalism is provided in order to discern the structural disorder effects and magnetism in the system.

• Received 14 November 2013
• Revised 18 February 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.89.094420