NMR spectroscopy of rare earth 3d transition metal alloys

Recent nuclear magnetic resonance studies of magnetically ordered rare earth-3d transition metal alloys are reviewed. Selected experimental results for rare earth NMR of RETM2 Laves phases as well as RE2TM14B and interstitially modified RE(2)TM(17)A(x) (A=N,C,H) materials for permanent magnet applications are surveyed. An analysis of the hyperfine parameters obtained from NMR experiments is presented and their relation to the physical properties of individual atomic sites is discussed. In particular, information from hyperfine fields about the influence of light interstitial atoms on the RE-TM magnetic coupling is analysed and compared to the results of magnetisation and neutron measurements. The relation of quadrupole splitting to the spectroscopic state of the rare earth, the magnetic structure and the individual site contributions to the magnetocrystalline anisotropy is analysed. The applicability of NMR to the study of multiphase magnetic materials for technology is briefly discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.